Analysis of blood pressure changes before and after education of salt reduction in primary students and their families

Objective To know the relevant knowledge of hypertension and its influence among the primary school students and their parents in Changzhi urban area, and discuss the effect of family salt reducing education on blood pressure control, so as to provide reference for effective hypertension prevention and control. Methods Every class was chosen randomly from the 28 primary schools' per grade five in Changzhi urban area, and they were divided into intervention group and control group. Then10 students and their parents were randomly selected as study subjects. Students in the intervention group were taught to reduce their salt taking for 3.5 months and then disseminated salt reducing knowledge to their parents. Questionnaire survey and physical examination were performed in the two groups of students and their parents before and after the health education. Results The awareness rate of the students and their parents increased significantly after health education. After health education, systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased(1.79±11.35)mm Hg compared with before. SBP of parents in control group increased (4.73 ±13.24) mm Hg and the difference was statistically significant (t=2.703, P=0.007). The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of parents in control group increased by (1.37±9.50) mm Hg compared with before. The DBP of parents in control group increased by added(3.09±10.23)mm Hg and the difference was statistically significant (t=2.711, P=0.007). Multiple regression analysis method showed that women in control group with higher body mass index (BMI) and lower basic SBP which were equipped with wider SBP variation. Members in control group with higher BMI and lower basic DBP which were equipped with wider DBP variation. Conclusion The primary school students' family salt taking reducing health education could decrease their parents' blood pressure level and it provided valuable references for hypertension prevention and control.