Barbers trained to take blood pressure to fight health inequality

A pair of barber shops in south London are offering customers free blood pressure tests to tackle undiagnosed health issues amongst black and Asian men.

The project, run by London South Bank University (LSBU) and Croydon BME Forum, has trained barbers at Finishing Touches and Jul’s the Hair Klinik in Mitcham to provide on-the-spot blood pressure checks. 

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), high blood pressure is more common in black people.

The barber shops’ owners hope the tests will raise awareness and save lives.

High blood pressure increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

But the symptoms are not always obvious.

About 30% of all men in the UK have high blood pressure, according to ONS data from 2023.

Roughly half of them are not yet diagnosed or receiving treatment.

Younger men with high blood pressure are also more likely to be undiagnosed; with 66% of males aged 16 to 24, and 55% of males aged 25 to 34 not having a diagnosis.

LSBU’s scheme was inspired by a similar initiative in Los Angeles, which led to 68% of those diagnosed with high blood pressure in barbershops leaving the study with healthy blood pressure levels.

More than 230 individuals received blood pressure tests in a previous pilot in 2021.

LSBU said the new project aims to follow up with men who have high blood pressure to see if it can be controlled in the longer term.

Prof Nicola Thomas, project lead at LSBU, said: “Following a successful pilot project, we are pleased that barbers will once again offer testing to their customers to find out if they have high blood pressure and then give advice about how to reduce it.”

She said thanks to LSBU’s partnership with Croydon BME Forum the new project “will enable us to do this follow-up by offering further checks and health advice in their wellness centre in central Croydon”.

Shawon Gonzales, project lead at Croydon BME Forum said: “The Croydon BME forum is wholeheartedly committed to reducing disparities in the Black and minority ethnic population at a community level, and this project is one initiative aimed at achieving that.

“Besides the high prevalence of high blood pressure in men in the UK, there is a known correlation between physical health and mental health.”

She added by tackling high blood pressure there will also be an “impact on the associated mental health conditions, essentially killing two birds with one stone”.

One of the barbers taking part in the scheme, Hugh Benain from Finishing Touches, said: “As barbers, we not only provide our customers with fresh cuts, but provide them a channel to vent or share opinions or life challenges.

“I’m very happy for the opportunity to add even more value to the community – especially something as important as blood pressure, which is an underlying cause of so many other poor health conditions.

“I’m so privileged and so happy to be a part of this project.”

Julian Appiah-Koduah, barber and owner of Jul’s the Hair Klinik, said: “I think the project is brilliant, because we are able to create great awareness and also most importantly save lives.”