Bunnings offers free blood pressure checks in NSW
Bunnings Warehouse stores in NSW are trialling free blood pressure checks, with a focus on encouraging men to take the test.
The blood pressure kiosks are part of a 12-month ‘shop-to-stop hypertension’ research study run by The George Institute, University of NSW and SiSU Health.
Elevated blood pressure and hypertension is known as the ‘silent killer’ because people who have it don’t notice the symptoms. However, high BP in Australia is responsible for:
- 43% of coronary heart disease
- 41% of stroke
- 65% of the burden of hypertensive heart disease
- 38% of chronic kidney disease
- 32% of atrial fibrillation and flutter and
- 6% of dementia
One in three Australian adults (34%) have raised blood pressure but only 32 per cent have it under control and within a healthy range.
The Bunnings initiative aims to reach men, who typically represent a large portion of the store’s customers. The health checks stations are situated in a discreet area and ask customers questions about their age, lifestyle and family history before taking their blood pressure and measuring their weight and heart rate. Participants are notified of high blood pressure readings and advised about options to improve their BP, including seeing a GP and making lifestyle changes.
"Efforts to reduce the risk of high blood pressure in the community stopped being effective over the past 10 years, and the profile of those affected is changing," said Alta Schutte, a UNSW professor and research fellow at the George Institute for Global Health.
"For example, raised blood pressure is increasingly linked to stroke deaths in men aged 25-49 years but they wouldn't think of themselves as being at risk.
"We needed to think creatively about reaching this and other groups at high risk, in the places they already go, and Bunnings stores are a great way to do that."
If the trial is successful, the program will be expanded to stores across Australia.
Participating Bunnings stores are Albury, Alexandria, Armidale, Bathurst, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Chatswood, Coffs Harbour, Crossroads, Dubbo, Forbes, Forster, Glendale, Goulburn, Grafton, Griffith, Kembla Grange, Kempsey, Lismore, Narrabri, Nowra, Padstow, Penrith, Port Macquarie, Shellharbour, Smithfield, Tamworth, Valley Heights, Villawood and Wagga Wagga.