Milwaukee

Controlling blood pressure in Milwaukee

There are enough adults in the City of Milwaukee with uncontrolled blood pressure to fill Fiserv Forum 10 times and yet nationally, only about 1 in 10 clinical blood pressure readings is done accurately. We are working to change that locally, by supporting health care organizations’ efforts to improve patient and provider education.

Our Target: BP Program provides free resources to hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers and community clinics. Maria Perez Garcia is an RN at the Walker’s Point Community Clinic, a Gold award level recipient in Target: BP, and she says: “At the end of the day, helping our patients achieve good blood pressure control means that we are saving lives. Being able to sustain these results over the last several years, means that we are providing the care our patients deserve.”

Advocating against tobacco use

In recent years, the number of students who use e-cigarettes and other vaping devices, has skyrocketed among Wisconsin youth. 1 in 5 high school students report using e-cigarettes and vaping devices, and many students, continue to use traditional cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. Studies have shown that nicotine can harm brain development and have adverse impacts on learning, memory, and attention. Nicotine exposure can also cause addiction and increase a student’s risk for tobacco-related diseases and premature death. 

We are currently advocating to pass a statewide Tobacco 21 bill, which would bring Wisconsin’s minimum tobacco sales age, in line with the federal sales age. The bill will enable local law enforcement to implement the recent federal law change, which took place in December 2019.