Mount Sinai nurse practitioner Caroline Austin-Mattison, DNP, FNP-BC, along with Harlem Healthy Hearts and the Greater New York City Black Nurses Association, launched a community hypertension program this month in Harlem. The program, which received a community grant from AstraZeneca, seeks to improve health outcomes by providing a series of nurse-led quarterly health screenings and educational events focused on hypertension, or high blood pressure, and cardiovascular health.
Dr. Austin-Mattison, who serves as Director of Advanced Practice Nursing for The Mount Sinai Hospital, believes that nurses are vitally important to efforts aimed at improving community health. She emphasizes the importance of community-based care in managing chronic conditions.
"The program's core mission is to address the high rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in Harlem, a community where 45 percent of residents identify as Black and 28 percent as Hispanic, and one that is characterized by significant health disparities," Dr. Austin-Mattison said. "By addressing high blood pressure or hypertension, we can prevent a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease and stroke."
The first screening event took place the evening of Wednesday, October 23, at the 23rd Precinct Community Council at 203 E. 104th Street in Manhattan. This monthly neighborhood meeting is hosted by the New York City Police Department and welcomes more than 50 residents and leaders representing law enforcement, faith groups and local business owners. The nurses provided blood pressure screenings and education about managing and preventing hypertension. Future screening events will also include cooking demonstrations aimed at promoting heart-healthy diets.
In addition to these blood pressure screening events, the program will also provide participants with home monitoring equipment and free bus and subways passes to facilitate transportation to and from health care provider visits, if needed. This comprehensive approach ensures that participants receive continuous support and follow-up care.
"We are thrilled to begin this collaboration between Mount Sinai, Harlem Healthy Hearts, and the GNYC-BNA. We look forward to bringing essential cardiovascular screenings and education directly to our Harlem community," said Icilma Fergus, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Disparities for the Mount Sinai Health System, and the founder and director of Harlem Healthy Hearts. "By addressing these needs in a culturally responsive and accessible way, we're taking a significant step toward closing the health disparity gap and fostering a healthier future for all New Yorkers."
