The Experiences of Personal or Community Garden Use in the Self-Management of Hypertension among African American Males

In the United States (U.S.), hypertension is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease. Eating unhealthy foods, such as pre-packaged, high-fat, high-sodium foods, can increase blood pressure regardless of taking anti-hypertensive medication. Self-management entails a variety of behavioral changes on the part of the individual. The inclusion of fruits and vegetables into the diet improves hypertension self-management. Access to healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, alleviates barriers to adopting a healthy diet in hypertension management. Despite evidence that adopting healthier diets improve hypertension, some people find making dietary adjustments challenging. This dissertation aimed to explore 1) the impact of gardening on hypertension self-management of African American males who garden, 2) the impact of gardening on their buying practices and diet choices, and 3) the preparation of food selected from the garden. This dissertation consists of three manuscripts exploring hypertension self-management: 1) a concept analysis of self-management among individuals with hypertension, 2) a state of the science on evidence-based hypertension self-management methods for African American males, and 3) the results of a multiple method (Qual-quan) analysis of the experiences of hypertensive African American males who garden. Three key themes emerged, using an interpretive description approach, that revealed African American males described gardening provides stress relief, increased exercise, and satisfaction. Self-managing hypertension involves implementing specific tasks through committing to change, being motivated, and having confidence and knowledge with the support of others. Improving hypertension outcomes among African American males involves community-based interventions. Due to the increasing prevalence of hypertension among African American males, this dissertation provides insight into how individuals manage their hypertension when they have access to healthy food through gardening. The findings of this dissertation provide an opportunity for further research into managing hypertension by diet among African American males.