Project Lead(s): Karen Yeates
Cardiovascular disease, as a prime example of a chronic disease, is already the number one killer worldwide. Risk factors, such as hypertension, can be diagnosed and treated effectively using evidence-based management models in high-income countries.
This innovation aims to take advantage of lessons learned from the Canadian Hypertension Education Program (CHEP), with a nationwide effective knowledge translation strategy achieving high awareness and control rates. The goal is to apply the key principles to high-risk hypertensive communities in low- and middle-income countries (in this case in Tanzania) and disadvantaged groups, including Aboriginal communities in Canada. To address the challenges, community intervention research will be conducted, integrating technical innovation with evidence-based implementation at both policy and patient levels. We will pilot these concepts in the proposed communities with sociocultural tailoring to maximize effectiveness, while preserving the ability to replicate these principles across jurisdictions.
Specifically, the objectives of the project are:
(1.) To develop and validate a “readiness to participate” community assessment tool to address the barriers, solutions and appropriate action items to enable a local hypertension control program;
(2.) To develop and implement a community food procurement policy to lower sodium and calories;
(3.) To fully develop an innovative cell phone-based text messaging interface and central server database for broad community screening and tracking of blood pressure using automated tools;
(4.) To conduct evaluation trials to determine the impact of the innovative technologies to achieve improved hypertension detection rates in both Canadian Aboriginal and Tanzanian communities, as well as improved hypertension control for those with confirmed diagnosis.