A hypertension diet education program for public health nurses.

The Hypertension Diet Education Program was conducted to prepare practical nurses to provide nutritional counseling to a high-risk, hypertensive minority group residing in public housing. The dietary management of hypertension and the use of educationally and culturally relevant teaching strategies were emphasized as means of promoting patient education and dietary compliance for improved blood pressure control. Positive results in both paraprofesional and patient education were achieved. The nurses attained significant test score improvements, and 175 (63 per cent) of the patients counseled on diet attained controlled blood pressure readings within eight months.