East Cobb residents can now check their blood pressure for free at Christ Anglican Church, one of several Cobb County locations where walk-in monitoring stations have been installed through a partnership between Cobb & Douglas Public Health, Wellstar and the American Heart Association.
The stations, announced by CDPH on Tuesday, Aug. 18, are self-service kiosks that display step-by-step instructions and include an American Heart Association fact sheet explaining how to read the results. No appointment is needed.
Cobb County American Rescue Plan Act dollars funded stations at the North Cobb Senior Center, the Austell Senior Center and the Senior Wellness Center. The Family Restoration Life Center in Mableton also received one.
Christ Anglican Church's station came through a separate funding stream. CDPH's Community Health Improvement Plan Partnership grant, which offers up to $25,000 per agency in matching funds, supported Wellstar Community Health and Wellstar Foundation in placing stations inside local churches. Three Douglas County churches received stations through the same grant cycle.
Jazmyn McCloud, CDPH's health equity and community engagement director, said the stations show what local partners can accomplish when they pool resources to expand access to care.
Hypertension screening access
About 49% of U.S. adults have hypertension, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The condition often goes undetected because it typically produces no symptoms. Placing stations in churches and senior centers puts screening where people already gather, removing the barrier of scheduling a doctor's visit.
CDPH also runs a broader blood pressure program for residents already managing hypertension, and its Clinical Outreach team provides checks at community events throughout the year.
Residents who want more information or wish to schedule an appointment can visit cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org or call (770) 513-2300.
The Douglas County Public Library and Douglas County Senior Centers are scheduled to receive their own stations this fall, with American Heart Association support.
