Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
7-19-2025
First Advisor
Sandy King
Abstract
Hypertension disproportionately affects African Americans, contributing to elevated risks of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure. Despite the well-established benefits of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, its adoption remains limited due to cultural, socioeconomic, and health literacy barriers. This Quality Improvement (QI) project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally tailored DASH diet education intervention in improving nutritional knowledge among African American adults with hypertension (HTN). Using a quasi-experimental pre-post intervention design, 50 participants received a structured educational session during a single clinic visit, which included counseling, printed materials, and sample menus. The intervention was guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and implemented using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) and Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement (ADKAR) frameworks. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in post-intervention DASH diet knowledge scores (p < .001), supporting the impact of brief, nurse-led, culturally relevant education. The findings emphasized the importance of integrating dietary education into routine care within underserved communities. This project highlights the vital role of nurse practitioners (NPs) in leading sustainable, evidence-based interventions that address health disparities and promote self-management of chronic diseases. By reinforcing behavior change, improving knowledge, and increasing awareness, DASH diet education delivered in a culturally competent framework can enhance patient engagement, reduce hypertension risks, and contribute to long-term improvements in population health outcomes.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
McCaskill, Tanya K., "Controlling Hypertension in the African American Population through DASH Diet Education" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 155.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/155
