Black-owned barbershops could emerge as an effective tool in the fight against high blood pressure among African American men, a new study has found.

A study, conducted by two medical researchers, set out to evaluate the effects of barbershop-based outreach on blood pressure control. It found that barbers who offer blood pressure screening generally had customers with lower levels of hypertension.

The findings come as more black-owned barbershops are opening their doors to various health-related services, according to the National Institutes of Health. African-American churches also partner with outreach groups to provide health screenings, but NIH notes that regular church attendance is less common among African-American men than among women.

About 72 million people nationwide – or about 1 in 3 adults – suffer from hypertension, commonly called high blood pressure. Left untreated it can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys and other parts of the body. African Americans are at particularly risk because of genetics, diet and other lifestyle factors.

Click here to read more about the barbershop study.

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