Health Communication Strategies to Promote Lifestyle Changes in Older Adults With Hypertension: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and represents a growing public health challenge, particularly in older adults. Despite significant advances in prevention and treatment, global hypertension rates have doubled in recent decades, with only a small proportion of patients achieving adequate blood pressure control. Health communication has emerged as a key element in supporting behavioural change, emphasizing personalized strategies that consider individual characteristics and contexts.

OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aims to map and describe the existing evidence regarding health communication strategies to promote lifestyle changes among older adults with hypertension.

METHODS: This scoping review will follow the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Studies involving adults aged ≥ 65 years diagnosed with hypertension and exploring health communication strategies designed to promote lifestyle changes will be included. Both studies evaluating communication alone and those combining pharmacological interventions with communication components will be considered. Studies focusing only on pharmacological interventions without communication components will be excluded. A search will be conducted in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Grey literature sources will also be consulted. Two independent reviewers will screen and select the studies for inclusion. Data will be extracted using a standardized form capturing study characteristics, types and characteristics of communication strategies, behavioural indicators assessed and barriers and facilitators to implementation. The extracted information will be organized into categories and presented in descriptive and thematic formats, supported by a narrative summary.