Building Healthy Temples With Less Pressure: A Faith-Based Hypertension Control Pilot Study

Hypertension disproportionately affects Hispanic/Latino communities in the United States, yet culturally tailored interventions that support sustained lifestyle modification and self-management remain limited. This study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of Building Healthy Temples with Less Pressure (BHT-LP), a faith-based, lay leader–delivered hypertension self-management intervention implemented in Hispanic church communities. Guided by social cognitive theory, BHT-LP included a Medical Moment and a 12-session hypertension self-management program delivered by trained Church Lay Health Leaders. Forty adults with hypertension or elevated blood pressure were recruited from two Hispanic churches in San Antonio, Texas, during 2021 to 2022. Participants completed baseline and post-intervention assessments, and focus groups were conducted at program completion. Twenty-nine participants completed both assessments. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased modestly, although the changes were not statistically significant. Hypertension self-care behaviors, dietary quality, and physical activity improved, with aerobic activity increasing by 72 min/week ( p < .01). Participants with excess weight experienced significant reductions in body weight and waist circumference. Qualitative findings indicated program acceptability, high trust in lay leaders, and increased motivation to monitor blood pressure and adopt healthier behaviors. These findings support the feasibility and promise of a spiritually integrated, lay leader–facilitated intervention for hypertension control and related health behaviors in Hispanic faith communities. The program’s culturally grounded approach, group support, and integration of self-monitoring tools may offer a practical strategy for advancing community-based hypertension prevention and management.