May Measurement Month 2023: results of an opportunistic blood pressure screening campaign in South Korea

Abstract The May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign was conducted in South Korea in 2023 to raise awareness of raised blood pressure (BP). Adults aged ≥ 18 years were recruited through convenience sampling at 19 public health centres in Seoul, Busan City Hall, and public venues such as Seoul Plaza. Three seated BP readings were taken from each participant, and a questionnaire collected information on demographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg or being on BP-lowering medication. Controlled BP was defined as being on BP-lowering medication with a BP <140/90 mmHg. Multiple imputation was used to estimate missing BP readings. In total, 2339 adults were screened, with a mean age of 60.8 years and 58.4% were female. Of all participants, 1157 (49.5%) had hypertension, of whom 831 (71.8%) were aware, and 784 (67.8%) were on antihypertensive medication. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 521 (66.5%) had controlled BP, and of all participants with hypertension, 45.0% had controlled BP. Significant age-related disparities were observed; awareness was critically low in young adults (27.3% in 18-29 years) compared to older adults (83.8% in ≥70 years). The MMM campaign in South Korea identified a substantial numbers of participants with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. The campaign clearly highlighted the awareness gap among younger adults, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to engage this population for early detection.