PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the self-care behaviors of Black African Immigrants (BAIs) living in the United States who are managing hypertension, with the goal of informing culturally sensitive healthcare strategies.

SPECIFIC AIMS:

1. To explore cultural beliefs and practices that influence hypertension self-care behaviors.
2. To examine BAIs’ understanding of hypertension and its associated risks.
3. To describe self-care maintenance, monitoring, and management strategies used by BAIs and assess their impact on health outcomes.

FRAMEWORK: The Middle-Range Theory of Self-Care of Chronic Illness guided this study.

DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Eighteen BAIs with hypertension were recruited and participated in semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom, telephone, or in person. Interviews were audio-recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed using conventional content analysis.

RESULTS: Five major themes emerged: 1)Bridging the Divide: The Role of Effective and Ineffective Communication in HTN Care; 2) Routine and Resilience: The Importance of HTN Management; 3) The Weight of Responsibility: Family, Work, and Spirituality in HTN Control; 4) The Struggle with Hypertension Symptom Recognition: From Awareness to Action; 5) What Self-Care Really Means: A Journey Toward Well-Being. These findings support the influence of cultural, structural, and interpersonal factors on hypertension self-management.

CONCLUSION: Black African Immigrants navigate complex cultural and systemic factors in their hypertension self-care. Understanding these lived experiences is essential to developing interventions that are culturally informed, supportive, and accessible. Nurses are critical in promoting education, advocacy, and culturally informed care.