Easier Primary Care Access Improved Chronic Disease Management

Irrespective of where a patient resides, having easier primary care access might be key to improving chronic disease management and detection for patients with hypertension, according to new research published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association (AHA).

Hypertension impacts nearly half of the adult population in the United States. Still, many people who have the condition don’t know they have it, leaving them at risk for worse health outcomes, according to CDC data.

The study examined the benefits that better primary care access may have on chronic disease management among patients living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Researchers noted that healthcare professionals at community health centers and primary care practices could potentially expand high blood pressure awareness and detection by providing affordable treatment and management options.