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Context: There is strong evidence that social support-particularly perceived social supportfunctions as a protective factor for health. Few studies have investigated how medical students perceive the types of social support they experience. Objective: To determine how osteopathic medical students perceive social support, understand the factors that influence their perceptions, and explore how group participation in a cocurricular, academic program could affect student perceptions. Methods: In this cross-sectional study of 983 medical students at a multicampus osteopathic medical school in the Midwest, potential respondents were invited by email in March 2018 to participate in a self-reported evaluation of their perceived social support using a 40-question Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL). The demographic variables included gender, race, age, current phase in medical school, Hispanic heritage, campus assignment, and hometown population type. A total score for each type of social support and a summative score for overall perceived social support were calculated. Descriptive statistics were applied to provide a summary of the distribution of study variables. Bivariate analyses were conducted using student t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistic to determine distribution of 4 social support constructs and overall social support by all the study variables; α < .05 was considered statistically significant. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between all study variables and 4 social support constructs. Pairwise interactions were calculated to determine whether the association differed by any of the study variables. Results: Self-esteem support was the lowest type of perceived social support overall in the total sample (mean [SD], 23.5[2.0]). Hispanic students reported lower overall mean perceived social support than those who did not identify as Hispanic (100 vs 104; P=.04). Older study participants had higher mean tangible support compared with their younger counterparts (26.25 vs. 25.60, P=.018; t [264]=1.18). Older study participants also had higher mean appraisal support compared with their younger counterparts (26.57 vs. 25.92, P=.06; t [266]=1.27). Female medical students reported lower levels of belonging support overall (mean [SD] 26.79, [2.10]). Students from rural hometowns reported a higher sense of belonging support than any other group. Female students from suburban and urban hometowns reported lower levels of belonging support compared with women from rural hometowns (Adj. β=−0.96, P=.01). Students who participated in the rural and urban underserved program had higher self esteem support compared with those who did not participate in the rural and urban underserved program (Adj. β=−1.30, P=.05). Students in the clinical phase of medical education reported lower levels of belonging support than students in the preclinical phase (26.14 vs. 26.69, P=.05; t[256]=1.07). Conclusions: It is critical to understand the ways medical students experience social s...

Context: High blood pressure (BP) is a common chronic condition in the United States. For many people, BP control through pharmacologic intervention alone is not effective at maintaining a healthy BP. Team-based, patient-focused care and home-based BP monitoring in addition to pharmacologic interventions have been shown to be effective for controlling BP. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the hypertension management program at the Heritage Community Clinic in Athens, Ohio. Methods: Medical records of 43 patients who took part in the hypertension management program were retrospectively reviewed and included clinical data such as age, sex, BP, body mass index, comorbidities, family history, and demographic information. In addition to standard pharmacologic interventions, the program provided equipment for at-home BP monitoring, education on behavior and lifestyle modification, and 5 follow-up visits. Data from the 5 follow-up visits were analyzed. Results: Linear mixed-effects regression models of BP suggested that the visit factor was significantly associated with BP (P<.001). On average at each visit, patients showed a 6.8–mm Hg reduction in systolic BP and a 3.8–mm Hg reduction in diastolic BP after controlling for demographic variables. General stress level, marital status, and depression were all significantly associated with BP (P<.05). In addition, 67.5% of the patients who took part in this program achieved the target treatment guidelines of the Eighth Joint National Committee for hypertension management. Conclusion: A clinic-based hypertension management program comprising patient education, support, medication, and home BP monitoring was effective at reducing BP.