A new study has been carried to test the role of story telling in lowering blood pressure.
A
new
study
has
been
carried
to
test
the
role
of
story
telling
in
lowering
blood
pressure
.
Dr. Thomas Houston, a professor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led a group of scientists that investigated how pre-recorded videos of hypertension patients' talking about their medical histories helped another group of patients with high blood pressure to control their condition over several months.
Dr.
Thomas
Houston
,
a
professor
of
the
University
of
Massachusetts
Medical
School
,
led
a
group
of
scientists
that
investigated
how
pre-recorded
videos
of
hypertension
patients
'
talking
about
their
medical
histories
helped
another
group
of
patients
with
high
blood
pressure
to
control
their
condition
over
several
months
.
Houston was surprised by their studies that suggested that communication can be a powerful tool in medicine.
Houston
was
surprised
by
their
studies
that
suggested
that
communication
can
be
a
powerful
tool
in
medicine
.
They showed that those who had had similar experiences, when talking to someone with a similar background, could help change their behavior to become healthier.
They
showed
that
those
who
had
had
similar
experiences
,
when
talking
to
someone
with
a
similar
background
,
could
help
change
their
behavior
to
become
healthier
.
Hypertension is difficult to control, since it is dependent on diet, exercise and mental state.
Hypertension
is
difficult
to
control
,
since
it
is
dependent
on
diet
,
exercise
and
mental
state
.
Medical treatments with drugs, and lifestyle therapies have been ly ineffective because people find it hard to follow those medical requirements.
Medical
treatments
with
drugs
,
and
lifestyle
therapies
have
been
ly
ineffective
because
people
find
it
hard
to
follow
those
medical
requirements
.
In the test, his team carefully chose their story-tellers from 230 members of a patients' community with whom they could most easily relate.
In
the
test
,
his
team
carefully
chose
their
story-tellers
from
230
members
of
a
patients
'
community
with
whom
they
could
most
easily
relate
.
Next, they divided their study population into two groups.
Next
,
they
divided
their
study
population
into
two
groups
.
One received three interactive DVDs containing the tellers' stories of their experiences in living with and treating their hypertension.
One
received
three
interactive
DVDs
containing
the
tellers
'
stories
of
their
experiences
in
living
with
and
treating
their
hypertension
.
The other were given educational discs on an unrelated health topic.
The
other
were
given
educational
discs
on
an
unrelated
health
topic
.
The study volunteers reported that they had listened to the DVDs, and after three months, those who heard the stories of the hypertensive patients lowered their blood pressure.
The
study
volunteers
reported
that
they
had
listened
to
the
DVDs
,
and
after
three
months
,
those
who
heard
the
stories
of
the
hypertensive
patients
lowered
their
blood
pressure
.
While the study did not address how the story-telling influenced the patients' behavior, Houston suspects that watching patients of similar backgrounds who had a similar medical experience helped to motivate them to seek medical help to their hypertension.
While
the
study
did
not
address
how
the
story-telling
influenced
the
patients
'
behavior
,
Houston
suspects
that
watching
patients
of
similar
backgrounds
who
had
a
similar
medical
experience
helped
to
motivate
them
to
seek
medical
help
to
their
hypertension
.
They found that after six months the difference in blood pressure between those who watched the story-tellers and those who observed the unrelated videos remained, suggesting that the story-telling continued to have an effect.
They
found
that
after
six
months
the
difference
in
blood
pressure
between
those
who
watched
the
story-tellers
and
those
who
observed
the
unrelated
videos
remained
,
suggesting
that
the
story-telling
continued
to
have
an
effect
.
A new study has been carried to test the role of story telling in lowering blood pressure. Dr. Thomas Houston, a professor of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, led a group of scientists that investigated how pre-recorded videos of hypertension patients' talking about their medical histories helped another group of patients with high blood pressure to control their condition over several months.  Houston was surprised by their studies that suggested that communication can be a powerful tool in medicine. They showed that those who had had similar experiences, when talking to someone with a similar background, could help change their behavior to become healthier. Hypertension is difficult to control, since it is dependent on diet, exercise and mental state. Medical treatments with drugs, and lifestyle therapies have been ly ineffective because people find it hard to follow those medical requirements.  In the test, his team carefully chose their story-tellers from 230 members of a patients' community with whom they could most easily relate. Next, they divided their study population into two groups. One received three interactive DVDs containing the tellers' stories of their experiences in living with and treating their hypertension. The other were given educational discs on an unrelated health topic. The study volunteers reported that they had listened to the DVDs, and after three months, those who heard the stories of the hypertensive patients lowered their blood pressure.  While the study did not address how the story-telling influenced the patients' behavior, Houston suspects that watching patients of similar backgrounds who had a similar medical experience helped to motivate them to seek medical help to their hypertension. They found that after six months the difference in blood pressure between those who watched the story-tellers and those who observed the unrelated videos remained, suggesting that the story-telling continued to have an effect.