2022 International Conference on Aging in the Americas

Abstract

Hypertension is the most prevalent treatable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, it is the leading cause of death and disability in the Americas. Although hypertension medications are highly effective in controlling blood pressure and preventing deleterious effects on the heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain, adherence to hypertension medications is low at only around 50%. Technology interventions may provide easy access to effective and sustained strategies to improve hypertension medication adherence as increasing numbers of older adults and Latinos are using smartphones. Medication Education, Decision Support, Reminding, and Monitoring System (MEDSReM©) is a theory-based, integrated digital therapeutic system comprising a mobile app and a companion website that supports hypertension medication adherence and blood pressure management for older adults. An interdisciplinary team representing pharmacy, nursing, cognitive aging, community health, gerontechnology, human factors, and health technology collaborated to develop the MEDSReM© system. For broader reach and impact, we need to understand the user needs of diverse populations in the Americas, to develop and customize effective health technology interventions for older adults in Latino communities. In Latin America and the Caribbean regions, only 35% of women and 23% of men with hypertension diagnosis have controlled blood pressure. Moreover, in the U.S. disparities in healthcare are often stem from limited English proficiency, socioeconomic, and cultural barriers in Latinos receiving care in the U.S. With an estimated 85% of Latino adults using the internet and smartphones, health technology solutions may overcome identified barriers including providing health communications in Spanish. By learning the needs of the Latino communities in the Americas, and their motivators and barriers to adopt health technologies to manage hypertension, we can advance the design of MEDSReM© to incorporate Spanish and culturally competent features on adherence and blood pressure management and test new functionalities.