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A community-driven hypertension treatment group in rural Honduras

Authors :
Sheridan Reiger
Jeffrey R. Harris
Kwun Chuen Gary Chan
Hector Lopez Oqueli
Marlana Kohn
Source :
Global Health Action, Vol 8, Iss 0, Pp 1-5 (2015)
Publication Year :
2015
Publisher :
Taylor & Francis Group, 2015.

Abstract

Background: We formed a self-funded hypertension treatment group in a resource-poor community in rural Honduras. After training community health workers and creating protocols for standardized treatment, we used group membership fees to maintain the group, purchase generic medications in bulk on the local market, and hire a physician to manage treatment. We then assessed whether participation in the group improved treatment, medication adherence, and hypertension control. Design: This is a program evaluation using quasi-experimental design and no control group. Using data from the 86 members of the hypertension treatment group, we analyzed baseline and follow-up surveys of members, along with 30 months of clinical records of treatment, medication adherence, and blood pressure readings. Results: Our initial hypertension needs assessment revealed that at baseline, community hypertensives relied on the local Ministry of Health clinic as their source of anti-hypertensive medications and reported that irregular supply interfered with medication adherence. At baseline, hypertension group members were mainly female, overweight or obese, physically active, non-smoking, and non-drinking. After 30 months of managing the treatment group, we found a significant increase in medication adherence, from 54.8 to 76.2% (p

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16549880
Volume :
8
Issue :
0
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Global Health Action
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.f28b9bf03f304d3c9aacbc43ca26a3a6
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v8.28041