A coalition of national physician organizations have joined forces with media company Essence Communications for a new campaign aimed at improving heart health among black women.
The "Release the Pressure" campaign aims to provide black women with resources to determine and track their blood pressure numbers and develop a personal wellness plan to manage their heart health virtually.
The campaign encourages black women to take a pledge to enact the following steps:
● Set a blood pressure goal with a healthcare professional
● Monitor blood pressure numbers at home
● Implement a personalized wellness plan
● Make regular check-ins with personal support systems, including family and friends
More information on the pledge and each of the steps can be found here.
The campaign will be featured in Essence magazine's May/June issue as well as during an upcoming virtual town hall and podcast discussions hosted by Essence and the coalition of physician organizations, including the American Medical Association, Association of Black Cardiologists and American Heart Association.
The campaign will continue for a year, during which time the coalition will work with Essence to share more heart health resources for black women. The campaign's organizers said they hope to engage more than 300,000 black women by next year.