High Blood Pressure as a Co-Morbidity in Diabetes Mellitus - Research Proposal Example

High Blood Pressure as a Co-Morbidity in Diabetes Mellitus College: High Blood Pressure as Co-Morbidity in Diabetes Mellitus Introduction High blood pressure is one of the major killer conditions in the United States that has persisted despite various efforts to control its effects. Moreover, the condition is worse among Hispanic Americans and Black Americans who are majorly affected by this condition. Statistics indicate that High blood pressure results to high tools of death amounting to about 20% among these minority groups. While there have been various efforts to control this disorder, there is evidence that African Americans and Hispanic Americans are still seriously affected. More research has shown that there is exists a direct relationship between the prevalence of High Blood pressure and Diabetes Mellitus among these groups. The purpose of this research is to investigate the nature of this relationship and the extent to which the control of high blood pressure as a comorbidity of Diabetes Mellitus can successively eliminate the condition among Black Americans and Hispanic Americans. Literature Review A wide range of research has focused on the high prevalence of High Blood Pressure among the Hispanic and African Americans with the objective of identifying possible causes and control of the situation. Flack, Nasser and Levy (2011) point out that Hypertension has become a critical issue within United States, majorly affecting the minority groups. In their research, they identifies that Black Americans with high blood pressure contribute to 25% of the total death tolls in the US. Besides, the control of Hypertension among Black Americans has remained relatively low as compared to other races in America. The control of this disease covers less than 50% of the African American population, an issue that has garnered a lot of attention among many researchers. These statistics indicates that there exists racial disparities among different groups in Americans and this explains why these conditions are more common among the marginalized populations. Racial disparity in the Health sector in America is a problem that has been covered by research for a long time. Flack et al., (2010) notes the efforts of the International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB) to establish control measures against the prevalence of this condition among blacks. In the year 2003, ISHIB initiated a project to counter the high prevalence of this condition among Black Americans through the consensus statement “Management of High Blood Pressure among Black Americans” as a response to the racial disparities within the health sector. The main purpose of the project was to reduce the predisposing factors and to gather resources towards the control of this condition. This body was born as an initiative to fight the high level of discrimination that was making control of serious conditions among black Americans difficult. Notably, the body established the close relationship between the High Blood pressure and Diabetes Mellitus among the target group. In their research, they identified that more than half of the population the population with Hypertension had Diabetes Mellitus. This forms the ground through which modern health initiatives have considered high blood pressure as comorbidity of Diabetes Mellitus. More research has revealed that the demographic factors have signified different vulnerabilities on the lines of gender and age groups. Evidently, men are more vulnerable to both Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension than women. Statistics indicate the proportion of men with high blood pressure is 5% higher than that of women. Recently, the age of the victims has become an important factor while considering the prevalence of this condition. Evidently, there has been an increase in High Blood pressure proportions among Black Americans aged below 30 years (Muntner, Cutler, Wildman & Whelton, 2004). While it was traditionally believed that older population are vulnerable to both High blood pressure and Diabetes, recent research shows that increase in predisposing conditions such as Obesity have change this trend and more young people are vulnerable. However, across these demographic features, there is evidence that the Black Americans are more affected than the Hispanic Americans. This is a factor that can be attributed to difference in economic abilities and access to health services in the US. The government’s focus on High Blood pressure as Comorbidity of Diabetes Mellitus is an issue that has ignited a controversy. Opara et al. (2012) established that the government has shown commitment to fight diseases that occur simultaneously among populations. For instance, 80% of Medicaid resources are directed to persons who suffer from related illnesses with an aim or relieving such diseases. However, he criticizes the government for failing to address this problem among severely affected groups such as the Black Americans. Since this population has little access to expensive insurance policies, they are disadvantaged and cannot access health facilities. Another group has expressed the commitment of the recent strategies to fight High Blood Pressure as a Comorbidity of Diabetes Mellitus citing that the cases are much lower in the US than other countries. However, there is scanty research that has assessed the effectiveness of the recent strategies to control Hypertension among minority groups in America. Therefore, this research seeks to close the literature gap that exists and provide a ground through which both hypertension and High blood pressure cases can be reduced among the Black Americans. Methodology The purpose of this research is to identify the disparities that exist among Black Americans and Hispanic Americans in recent measures that to treat High Blood Pressure as Comorbidity of Diabetes Mellitus. For the purpose of this research, a quantitative approach will be employed. A comparative approach will be engaged to compare the prevalence rates and to identify the control efforts among the two groups. A quantitative approach is more applicable for this research since it eliminates possible subjectivity that arises when qualitative methods are employed (Newman, 2012). The target population for this research will include Hispanic Americans and Black Americans. A sample population of 100 Americans will be selected comprising of 50 Hispanic Americans and 50 Black Americans. The sample will be selected randomly and participants will be volunteers willing to participate in the study. The members will be informed before the research to ensure that they are familiar with the purpose of the study and they are willing to take part in it. A research questionnaire will be used to collect information from the population (Newman, 2012). The questionnaire will be prepared and a pilot study will be conducted to fine tune it. This will ensure that the data collection tool will be accurate and will collect essential information for this study. The data collected from the population will be subjected to quantitative analysis. The main focus will be to establish the proportion of the population with both Diabetes and High Blood Pressure among the two races. For the purpose of the analysis, the mean, percentages and variations will be computed and presented on graphical chart for easy visualization (Newman, 2012). The recommendations of the study will be derived from this analysis and will provide a viable approach through which racial disparities within the US health sector can be closed. Demographic Questions 1. How does the prevalence of both Diabetes Mellitus and High Blood Pressure vary between the Black and Hispanic Americans? 2. How does the proportion of Black Americans below 20 years with Hypertension vary with the same age population among Hispanic Americans? 3. What is the percentage difference of Hispanic and Black Americans below the poverty line among patients of hypertension? Questionnaire 1. Are you a victim of high Blood Pressure, Diabetes Mellitus, or both? 2. If you have both, which condition did you diagnose first? 3. Do you have any predisposing condition such as Obesity? 4. What kind of treatment have you received since the diagnosis of this illness? 5. How many members in your family have any of these conditions? 6. At what age did you get a diagnosis for the condition? 7. Are you satisfied with the kind of treatment that you have received so far? 8. What are the limitations that you have encountered in terms of accessing treatment within your area? 9. What recommendation would you suggest be implemented to ensure success in treatment of the conditions? 10. Do you have access to the Medicaid Facilities within your reach? 11. Do you believe that the health sector has discriminated you in the treatment of the conditions? Consent Form Recent trends in management of high blood pressure as co-morbidity in diabetes mellitus as it vary between African Americans and Hispanic Americans I hereby appeal for your voluntary participation in my personal research. Stated below are the objectives of the study and its contribution to the society. After assenting to the gist of the study, kindly sign the form to show your commitment to the study and the willingness to take part. Objective of the Study: To assess the effectiveness of the recent strategies in management of the high blood pressure as co-morbidity in diabetes Mellitus as it varies between African Americans in Hispanic Americans. Each willing participant will be required to respond to a questionnaire with short questions. The issues of confidentiality will be addressed by ensuring that information from the respondents will not be disclosed to any person and will be used for the purpose of study alone. The respondents will have a right to terminate their participation at any stage of the process at their own liberty. Respondent’s Section By signing this form, I hereby express my willingness to participate in the research after understanding the terms and condition stated above. Name Signature Date ________________ __________________ ________________ References Flack, J. M., Nasser, S. A., & Levy, P. D. (2011). Therapy of hypertension in African Americans. American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, 11(2), 83-92. Flack, J. M., Sica, D. A., Bakris, G., Brown, A. L., Ferdinand, K. C., Grimm, R. H., ... & Jamerson, K. A. (2010). Management of high blood pressure in blacks an update of the international society on hypertension in blacks consensus statement. Hypertension, 56(5), 780-800. Muntner, P., He, J., Cutler, J. A., Wildman, R. P., & Whelton, P. K. (2004). Trends in blood pressure among children and adolescents. Jama, 291(17), 2107-2113. Newman, I. (2012). Qualitative-quantitative research methodology: Exploring the interactive continuum. SIU Press. Opara, F., Hawkins, K., Sundaram, A., Merchant, M., Rasmussen, S., & Holmes, L. (2013). Impact of Comorbidities on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Hypertension in the United States. 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