In this essay, I will be analyzing the health promotion pamphlet titled “High Blood Pressure”. This pamphlet was developed by the American Heart Association under the theme ‘fighting heart diseases.’ This pamphlet was developed to educate the general public on all issues related to high blood pressure and its effects and how these adverse effects can be avoided and or detected at an early stage. High blood pressure is a disease of vascular regulation in which the mechanisms that control arterial pressure within the normal range are altered. The basic explanation is that blood pressure is elevated when there is increased cardiac output plus increased peripheral vascular resistance (Doris, 1991). The pamphlet is laid out in such a way that it is appealing in that it is systematically subdivided into subheadings starting with a definition of high blood pressure, what high blood pressure does to the body, how one can detect high blood pressure and what one can do about it. There are also additional subheadings dealing with Signs and symptoms of an impending heart attack and stroke and where to get more information on high blood pressure. This outline is more appealing in that it is self-guiding with the subheadings written in bold black colors making them distinct from the rest of the writings. From the subheadings above, it is evident that the content and quality are justified. This is because every aspect of high blood pressure is covered. The notes are easy to understand (American Heart Association, 2008). The pamphlet is generally for all people who are literate as the language used is simple; no medical jargon is used and this, therefore, means that anybody who can read will be able to understand the contents of the pamphlet. A good example is in the introductory part of the pamphlet where high blood pressure is defined. The authors have explained how blood pressure is measured, how the readings are gotten and what readings amount to high blood pressure. They have also explained in detail how high blood pressure affects the body by stating how high blood pressure adds a high workload to the heart and arteries leading to their dysfunction. These two examples show that the pamphlet is detailed and has high levels of clarity. The pamphlet’s relevancy and usefulness are also shown in the numerous examples given in every subheading. The examples are real to our day-to-day life experiences. For example, in the subheading titled ‘heart attack warning signs’, there are several examples of chest discomfort which is a warning sign of heart attack. These include fullness, chest pain, uncomfortable pressure and squeezing. In the subheading ‘what can you do about high blood pressure’, examples include low fat and low salt diet, reducing alcohol intake, losing weight and more controlled physical activity. These examples make the pamphlet useful to the general public as it is easy to implement. It is also accommodative in that it includes both those who do not have high blood pressure and those who have high blood pressure. This is demonstrated in the preventive guidelines and guidelines on how to control or come out of it (American Heart Association, 2008). The original version of this pamphlet was tailor-made for American citizens due to the rising cases of high blood pressure and its related effects in the USA. The current version is a modified one that is all-inclusive and can be used all over the world. The pamphlet is written in such a way that one feels that it is specifically for him/her. It is directed towards an individual; this can be demonstrated in the use of phrases such as “If you have high blood pressure, you can…..”. This creates a sense of ownership and may even create some degree of responsibility. The pamphlet also has given examples and guidelines on what one can do to avoid high blood pressure or rather what someone who already has it can do to prevent its adverse effects and complications. All these amounts to self-care management as it empowers the reader with relevant knowledge on how to prevent the occurrence of high blood pressure. Empowering the public with the relevant knowledge is the fundamental principle and objective of Health Education. Currently, health promotion is geared towards improving self-care management and this is brought out in this pamphlet; the pamphlet equips the reader with what is to be done and how it is to be done. High blood pressure is a disease that can be prevented and controlled by any individual. It largely depends on the lifestyle one takes (Black, 2008). From the above, it is therefore right to conclude that this pamphlet is relevant to the general public and can be used to prevent high blood pressure.
References
- American Heart Association, (2008). High blood pressure. Dallas, Texas: Clarkson Potter Publishers.
- Black, J. M., (2008). Medical surgical nursing: A psychological approach. Philadelphia: W.B Saunders Company.
- Doris, S. S., (1991). The Lippincott manual of nursing practice. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company.