Strategies to Increase Access to mHealth Wearable Devices for Hypertension Control in African-Born Immigrants: A Risk-Benefit Analysis

Background: Studies on the use of mobile health (mHealth) wearable devices by African Americans to control hypertension have been limited. This study aligns with ongoing efforts to uncover the benefits of using such devices to improve hypertension management in African-born immigrant groups. It focused on long-term strategies to increase access to mHealth wearables. It also analyzed their hypertension risk factors and the challenges of using such devices. Methods: This causal-comparative study was conducted in 2024 among 100 African-born immigrants aged 45-75 in Arizona’s nine medically underserved primary care areas. A risk-benefit analysis was used to identify the risks associated with uncontrolled hypertension and the benefits of using mHealth wearable devices. Independent samples t-test was used to compare mean arterial pressure (MAP) between the two groups. Results: The strategies to promote access to mHealth wearable devices for hypertension control in African-born immigrants consisted of government-subsidized smartwatches (33.8%) and unlimited access to mHealth data (29.6%). The most prevalent hypertension risk factors included unhealthy diet (21.7%), physical inactivity (21.7%), and obesity (12.5%). Most participants (51.6%) were overweight. Group 1 participants benefited from using mHealth wearable devices with a lower MAP (99 mm Hg ) compared to group 2 (103 mm Hg ) (P<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study contributed to the existing knowledge about the most prevalent hypertension risk factors in African-born immigrants and their challenges in managing hypertension. Despite being excluded from major mHealth research, they can benefit from using smartwatches, unlimited access to mHealth data, and medical education to manage hypertension better.