A total of 102 studies were included. However, except for analysis of overall treatment effectiveness based on direction of treatment effect, analyses were restricted to 88 studies from which it was possible to code sample size and determine at least one effect-size.
89 studies addressed psychoeducational care on blood pressure, 30 studies assessed knowledge about hypertension, 23 studies evaluated medication compliance, 16 studies addressed weight, 11 studies assessed compliance with health care appointments and 6 studies evaluated the effect on anxiety.
Blood-pressure (all): effect size=0.58 (95%CI: 0.47, 0.70; Q 163) Fail-safe N 806.
Blood pressure (random assigned only): effect size=0.44 (95%CI: 0.31, 0.57; Q 75) Fail-safe N 351.
Knowledge: effect size=1.03 (95%CI: 0.75, 1.32; Q 87) Fail-safe N 431.
Medication compliance: effect size=0.74 (95%CI: 0.41, 1.07; Q 226) Fail-safe N 235.
Weight: effect size=0.53 (95%CI: 0.13, 0.93; Q 67) Fail-safe N 134.
Compliance with health care appointments: effect size=0.47 (95%CI: 0.25, 0.69; Q 6) Fail-safe N 59.
Anxiety: effect size=0.57 (95%CI: 0.22, 0.93; Q 7) Fail-safe N 62.
(Fail-safe N is the number of additional studies required that did not favour treatment to overturn the effect sizes stated).