Optimizing Linkage and Retention to Hypertension Care in Rural Kenya
![]() |
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01844596 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : May 1, 2013
Last Update Posted : October 20, 2017
|
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa among adults above age 30. The prevalence of hypertension, a major risk factor for CVD, is increasing over time in sub-Saharan Africa, exerting a significant epidemiologic and economic burden on the region. Without adequate control of hypertension, its health and economic burden will increase drastically in the decades ahead. Well established and evidence-based interventions to manage hypertension exist; however, treatment and control rates are low.
A critical component of hypertension management is to facilitate sustained access of affected individuals to effective clinical services. In partnership with the Government of Kenya, the United States Agency for International Development-Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare Partnership (AMPATH) is expanding its clinical scope of work in rural western Kenya to include hypertension and other chronic diseases.
However, linking and retaining individuals with elevated blood pressure to the clinical care program has been difficult. Thus, the overall objective of this application is to utilize a multi-disciplinary implementation research approach to address the challenge of linking and retaining hypertensive individuals to a hypertension management program. We aim to add to existing knowledge on scalable and sustainable strategies for optimizing control of hypertension and other chronic diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Hypertension High Blood Pressure | Behavioral: behavioral communication strategy Behavioral: Behavioral communication strategy, plus smartphone-based tool | Not Applicable |
Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control rates are low in most regions of the world. A critical component of hypertension management is to facilitate sustained access of affected individuals to effective clinical services. In partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Partnership is expanding its clinical scope of work in rural western Kenya to include hypertension and other chronic diseases. However, linking and retaining individuals with elevated blood pressure to the clinical care program has been difficult. To address this challenge, we propose to develop and evaluate innovative community-based strategies and initiatives supported by mobile technology.
The objective of this application is to utilize a multi-disciplinary implementation research approach to address the challenge of linking and retaining hypertensive individuals to a hypertension management program. The central hypothesis is: community health workers (CHWs), equipped with a tailored behavioral communication strategy and a smartphone-based tool linked to an electronic health record, can increase linkage and retention of hypertensive individuals to a hypertension care program and thereby significantly reduce blood pressure among these patients. We further hypothesize that these interventions will be cost-effective.
This research will generate innovative and productive solutions to the expanding global problem of hypertension, and will add to existing knowledge on scalable and sustainable strategies for effectively managing hypertension and other chronic diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 1455 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Health Services Research |
Official Title: | Optimizing Linkage and Retention to Hypertension Care in Rural Kenya |
Study Start Date : | April 2014 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | August 31, 2017 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | August 31, 2017 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
No Intervention: Usual Care
Usual Care: Community Health Workers (CHW) with standard training on recruitment of individuals.
|
|
Experimental: behavioral communication strategy
Community Health Workers with an additional tailored behavioral communication strategy.
|
Behavioral: behavioral communication strategy
Community Health Workers with an additional tailored behavioral communication strategy. |
Experimental: Behavioral communication strategy, plus smartphone-based tool
Community Health Workers with a tailored behavioral communication strategy, also equipped with smartphone-based tool linked to the AMPATH Medical Record System (AMRS).
|
Behavioral: Behavioral communication strategy, plus smartphone-based tool
Community Health Workers with a tailored behavioral communication strategy, also equipped with smartphone-based tool linked to the AMPATH Medical Record System (AMRS). |
- Documented linkage to care following home-based testing [ Time Frame: up to 5 years ]An individual who links to care on his/her own within one month of home-based blood pressure testing will be characterized as "self-linked" or after a community health worker (CHW) visit, sh/he will be characterized as "CHW-mediated linked."
- One year change in systolic blood pressure among hypertensive individuals [ Time Frame: up to one year ]One year change in systolic blood pressure among hypertensive individuals.
- Blood Pressure controlled [ Time Frame: up to 5 years ]Percentage of hypertensive individuals whose BP is controlled (<140/90) at the final clinic visit
- Medication adherence [ Time Frame: up to 5 years ]Medication adherence will be defined as number of doses taken divided by number of doses prescribed, for the previous one month.
- behavioral changes [ Time Frame: up to 5 years ]Behavioral changes include physical activity, diet (salt, fruit/vegetable intake), and tobacco use.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- 18 years old and older
- elevated BP (SBP > 140 or DBP >90)
Exclusion Criteria:
- acutely ill and require immediate medical attention at the time of home-based testing
- individuals who do not provide informed consent during home-based testing

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01844596
Kenya | |
Moi University School of Medicine | |
Eldoret, Kenya |
Principal Investigator: | Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
Responsible Party: | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01844596 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
GCO 11-1056 |
First Posted: | May 1, 2013 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | October 20, 2017 |
Last Verified: | October 2017 |
hypertension management linkage to care behavioral science cardiovascular health global health multi-disciplinary implementation research approach linking and retaining |
community health workers CHWs behavioral communication strategy smartphone-based tool electronic health record retention to care |
Hypertension Vascular Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases |