High blood pressure as a way of life

Abstract

High blood pressure is the risk factor most associated with developing coronary artery disease and stroke (Jackson, 1995). The literature is detailed in it's medical specifications of hypertension. Little research is devoted to the voice of the person living with high blood pressure (Hautman and Bomar, 1992), the venture of this research. This research emerged as a response to a recommendation from a past study (van Wissen, Litchfield and Maling, 1998). Using human science hermeneutic phenomenology (van Manen, 1990), with a conceptual framework of context and pattern and a presentation mode of case study; were conducted with five participants to reveal their experience of living with high blood pressure. In-depth interviews were undertaken with each participant. The interview as text became a focus of attention. From this an analytical process unfolded involving hermeneutic phenomenological reflection, simultaneous with thematic analysis (van Manen, 1990, 1998). Universal themes and particular themes as context, evolved for each case study, as was a metaphorical pattern. Pattern was utilised to make meaning of the contextual lives of each person. Themes and an integrative framework thereof, came forth from each participant's interview material. These are presented as individual case studies in the thesis text. There were innate commonalities across cases: most participants sought alternatives to their long term medications; participants described high blood pressure as an illness modality, and as either visible or invisible. Conversations exposed the embodiment of high blood pressure, also demonstrating how people were willing to make many lifestyle changes to accommodate their condition. This research will be of interest to those in the practice setting, highlighting the need for health professionals to be vigilant in ascribing approaches to treatment and management of high blood pressure that corroborates identified contextual realities. The voice of the consumer may be of concern to those developing national evidence-based guidelines for treatment of hypertension. Recommendations for further research may include deciphering the untraditional liaison of high blood pressure as illness, and it's apparent embodiment.