More than 1.3 billion people are affected by hypertension (HTN) globally. Research has shown that Black women have the highest prevalence of hypertension worldwide compared to women of other racial/ethnic backgrounds. Although attempts have been made to reduce prevalence of HTN among Black women through non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions, blood pressure control remains suboptimal. Handgrip strength, a measure of overall muscular strength, has been associated with risk of hypertension, cardiovascular-related mortality, and all-cause mortality. Currently, there is conflicting evidence on the predictive value of relative handgrip strength in assessing hypertension risk in women, specifically Black women. We conducted three studies to investigate the utility of relative handgrip strength to predict hypertension risk in US and South African women. Study 1 was conducted to establish whether there was a cross-sectional relationship between relative handgrip strength and hypertension in a nationally representative sample of US Black and white women (NHANES). We determined that there was an inverse association between relative handgrip strength and hypertension in women, and there was no statistical difference in the association found between Black and white women. Study 2 assessed the longitudinal association between relative handgrip strength and hypertension in an age-matched sample of middle-aged and older US Black and white women (MIDUS). We found no significant relationship between relative handgrip strength and hypertension in both Black and white women. Study 3 investigated the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between relative handgrip strength and hypertension in a cohort of middle aged and older Black South African women (HAALSI). No longitudinal association was found between relative handgrip strength and hypertension in middle-aged and older Black South African women. The results of this dissertation can provide guidance on strategies to identify women at risk for HTN earlier and to improve blood pressure management.