Engaging Religious Leaders to Reduce Blood Pressures in Tanzanian Communities
- Conditions
- Hypertension
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Religious Engagement in Health Intervention
- Registration Number
- NCT05416372
- Lead Sponsor
- Weill Medical College of Cornell University
- Brief Summary
The investigators hypothesize that communities in which religious leaders are provided with education about blood pressure and how to measure blood pressure will have lower overall average blood pressures than communities in which religious leaders do not receive education about blood pressure.
- Detailed Description
This research is being done to determine whether the Religious Engagement in Health Intervention can reduce community blood pressure. The study is being conducted in the Northwestern Tanzania. 20 communities will be involved: 10 will be randomized to the Religious Engagement in Health Intervention arm, and 10 will be randomized to the control arm. The Religious Engagement in Health Intervention includes the following three evidence-based components: (1) educational sessions for Christian and Muslim leaders on religious teachings and medical aspects of blood pressure, (2) equipping religious leaders to provide blood pressure teaching in their communities using knowledge learned from educational sessions and through longitudinal mentorship meetings, and (3) community blood pressure screening organized by religious leaders in partnership with local health care workers, and referrals for clinical care as needed.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 24000
- Adult ≥35 years of age
- Has lived in the community for ≥1 year
- Household identified for random sampling is primary residence: has slept in the household at least once in the past 2 weeks and considers this their primary residence
- First-degree relative from the same household already enrolled
- Relative of the same sex from the same household already enrolled
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Religious Engagement in Health Intervention communities Religious Engagement in Health Intervention Communities randomized to the intervention arm will receive a strengthening of the capacity to manage blood pressure at their local health center plus Religious Engagement in Health Intervention for blood pressure (BP), which includes three evidence-based components; 1) educational sessions for Christian and Muslim leaders on religious teachings and medical aspects of BP, 2) equipping religious leaders to provide BP teaching in their communities using knowledge learned from educational sessions and through longitudinal mentorship meetings, and 3) community BP screening organized by religious leaders in partnership with local health care workers, and referrals for clinical care as needed.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Mean change in community systolic blood pressure Baseline; 12months Before and 12 months after the intervention, investigators will estimate the true mean community BP by sampling 400 randomly selected adult community members (age ≥35 years) in each of the 20 communities.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in minutes of physical exercise per week Baseline; 24 months Change in minutes of physical exercise per week between baseline and 24 months
Reach of the intervention 24 months Percentage of religious leaders attending educational seminar and mentorship groups of 240 invited and number of community members reporting having blood pressure measured in the past year
Effectiveness of the intervention 24 months Percentage of community members initiating anti-hypertensive medications
Mean change in community systolic blood pressure Baseline; 24 months Before and 24 months after the intervention, investigators will estimate the true mean community BP by sampling 400 randomly selected adult community members (age ≥35 years) in each of the 20 communities.
Change in awareness of hypertension Baseline; 24 months Change in the percent of people with hypertension who are aware that they have hypertension, from baseline to 24 months
Change in Body Mass Index Baseline; 24 months Change in body mass index between baseline and 24 months.
Change in fruit intake Baseline; 24 months Change in reported number of servings of fruits consumed per week between baseline and 24 months
Adoption of the intervention 24 months Percentage of community members report being educated about blood pressure by religious leader in past 12 months
Change in treatment of hypertension Baseline; 24 months Change in percent of people with hypertension who are on treatment for hypertension, from baseline to 24 months
Change in waist circumference Baseline; 24 months Change in waist circumference between baseline and 24 months
Change in vegetables intake Baseline; 24 months Change in reported number of servings of vegetables consumed per week between baseline and 24 months
Maintenance of the intervention 24 months Percentage of community members report hearing blood pressure discussed in religious context in past 12 months; self-efficacy for blood pressure
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Community
🇹🇿Wards, Mwanza, Geita, And Simiyu Regions, Tanzania