Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Hypertension occurs frequently among black populations around the world. In the United States (US) health system, interventions since the 1960s resulted in improvements in hypertension awareness, management and control among African Americans. This is in stark contrast to current health systems in African countries. To objectively assess the current situation in South Africa, we compared the cardiovascular health status of African Americans from 1960 to 1980 to black South Africans from recent years, as there is potential to implement best practices from the US. We also reviewed the recent cardiovascular health changes of a South African population over 10 years. METHODS:Men and women were included from three studies performed in the United States (Evans County Heart Study; Charleston Heart Study; NHANES I and II) and one in South Africa (PURE, North West Province). We compared blood pressure (BP), BMI, cholesterol, diabetes and smoking status. RESULTS:Age-adjusted SBP and DBP of South African men were lower than US studies conducted from 1960 to 1971 (Evans County; Charleston; NHANES I; all P < 0.001) but similar to NHANES II (P = 0.987) conducted in 1976. South African women had lower SBP than all four of the US studies (all P < 0.001); their DBP was lower than Evans County and Charleston studies, but similar to NHANES I and II. Reviewing South African data, BMI increased steeply over 10 years in women (P < 0.001) but not men (P = 0.451). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Blood pressure of South Africans is lower than African Americans from the 1960s, but comparable for 1970s to 1980s. With obesity of South African women rising sharply, escalating figures for hypertension and diabetes are anticipated.

This paper describes the multilevel factors that contribute to hypertension disparities in 2052 hypertensive African Americans (mean age 52.9 ± 9.9 years; 66.3% female) who participated in a clinical trial. At the family level, participants reported average levels of life chaos and high social support. However, at the individual level, participants exhibited several adverse clinical and behavioral factors including poor blood pressure control (45% of population), obesity (61%), medication non-adherence (48%), smoking (32%), physical inactivity (45%), and poor diet (71%). While participants rated their provider as trustworthy, they reported high levels of discrimination in the health care system. Finally, community-level data indicate that participants reside in areas characterized by poor socio-economic and neighborhood conditions (eg, segregation). In the context of our trial, hypertensive African Americans exhibited several adverse risks and protective factors at multiple levels of influence. Future research should evaluate the impact of these factors on cardiovascular outcomes using a longitudinal design.

BACKGROUND:The adoption, intention, initial decision or action to implement evidence-based strategies for hypertension control in real-world settings is a challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Although stakeholders are essential for the adoption of evidence-based interventions, data on how to engage them to improve uptake of these strategies is lacking. Using a realist synthesis of stakeholder perspectives, the authors describe a process for engaging stakeholders to identify facilitators and barriers to the adoption of an evidence-based task-strengthening strategy for hypertension control in Ghana. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To identify stakeholder perceptions of the factors influencing the adoption of evidence-based task-shifting strategies for hypertension control in Ghana. METHODS:A realist evaluation of interviews, focus groups, and brainstorming activities was conducted to evaluate stakeholder perceptions of an evidence-based strategy designed to identify, counsel, and refer patients with hypertension for care in community health centers. Stakeholders included community health officers, administrators, and policymakers from the Ghana Health Service, researchers, and community health officers in community-based health planning services in the Kintampo region of Ghana. The study used a realist synthesis approach to thematically analyze the qualitative data generated. RESULTS:Sixty-two stakeholders participated in the study. They identified inner contextual characteristics such as the provision of resources, training, supervision, and monitoring as well as community outreach as important for the adoption of an evidence-based strategy in Ghana. The findings highlight how stakeholders are faced with multiple and often competing system strains when contemplating uptake of evidence-based strategies for hypertension control. CONCLUSIONS:Through the application of a realist synthesis of stakeholder perceptions, the study identified factors likely to enhance the adoption of an evidence-based strategy for hypertension control in Ghana. The lessons learned will help shape the translation of evidence in real-world settings, and could be valuable in future planning to enhance the adoption of evidence-based strategies for hypertension control in LMICs.

BACKGROUND:Assessing the practice capacity for hypertension management and control within community-based health planning and services system is an important step toward implementing evidence-based interventions to reduce uncontrolled hypertension at the community level. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To assess the capacity and readiness of community health workers to implement a task-strengthening strategy for hypertension control (TASSH) at the community level. METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research conducted among community health workers in 6 contiguous districts within the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Study variables were described using frequency tables. RESULTS:A total of 179 community health officers (CHOs) were interviewed. The majority of respondents knew lifestyle-related messages to be provided to their clients such as heart-healthy diets (91.6%, n = 164), physical activity (90.5%, n = 162), and low sodium intake (88.3%, n = 158), but not about other lifestyle-modifying messages such as caffeine reduction (46.4%, n = 83). The majority (79%) of the respondents did not know the names of the first-line hypertension medications. Fifty-one percent of respondents did not know about the blood pressure threshold for initiation of blood pressure management. About 90% of respondents had not been trained on hypertension management. More than 80% are however motivated to implement the TASSH intervention. CONCLUSIONS:The majority of CHOs in this study were aware of lifestyle modifications such as diet modifications and increase in physical activity. However, their knowledge was limited in the blood pressure threshold for initiating treatment and in the knowledge of first-line hypertension medication, irrespective of the number of years practiced. Training on hypertension is also low. However, CHOs are motivated to control hypertension at the community level. Community-level interventions such as TASSH can leverage on their motivation to demonstrate an impact on hypertension control.

OBJECTIVE:A review of the implementation outcomes of clean cookstove use, and its effects on blood pressure (BP) in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). DESIGN/METHODS:Systematic review of studies that reported the effect of clean cookstove use on BP among women, and implementation science outcomes in LMICs. DATA SOURCES/METHODS:We searched PubMed, Embase, INSPEC, Scielo, Cochrane Library, Global Health and Web of Science PLUS. We conducted searches in November 2017 with a repeat in May 2018. We did not restrict article publication date. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES/UNASSIGNED:We included only studies conducted in LMICs, published in English, regardless of publication year and studies that examined the use of improved or clean cookstove intervention on BP. Two authors independently screened journal article titles, abstracts and full-text articles to identify those that included the following search terms: high BP, hypertension and or household air pollution, LMICs, cookstove and implementation outcomes. RESULTS:Of the 461 non-duplicate articles identified, three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (in Nigeria, Guatemala and Ghana) and two studies of pre-post design (in Bolivia and Nicaragua) met eligibility criteria. These articles evaluated the effect of cookstove use on BP in women. Two of the three RCTs reported a mean reduction in diastolic BP of -2.8 mm Hg (-5.0, -0.6; p=0.01) for the Nigerian study; -3.0 mm Hg; (-5.7, -0.4; p=0.02) for the Guatemalan study; while the study conducted in Ghana reported a non-significant change in BP. The pre-post studies reported a significant reduction in mean systolic BP of -5.5 mm Hg; (p=0.01) for the Bolivian study, and -5.9 mm Hg (-11.3, -0.4; p=0.05) for the Nicaraguan study. Implementation science outcomes were reported in all five studies (three reported feasibility, one reported adoption and one reported feasibility and adoption of cookstove interventions). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Although this review demonstrated that there is limited evidence on the implementation of clean cookstove use in LMICs, the effects of clean cookstove on BP were significant for both systolic and diastolic BP among women. Future studies should consider standardised reporting of implementation outcomes.

The accurate measurement of blood pressure (BP) is essential for the diagnosis and management of hypertension. This article provides an updated American Heart Association scientific statement on BP measurement in humans. In the office setting, many oscillometric devices have been validated that allow accurate BP measurement while reducing human errors associated with the auscultatory approach. Fully automated oscillometric devices capable of taking multiple readings even without an observer being present may provide a more accurate measurement of BP than auscultation. Studies have shown substantial differences in BP when measured outside versus in the office setting. Ambulatory BP monitoring is considered the reference standard for out-of-office BP assessment, with home BP monitoring being an alternative when ambulatory BP monitoring is not available or tolerated. Compared with their counterparts with sustained normotension (ie, nonhypertensive BP levels in and outside the office setting), it is unclear whether adults with white-coat hypertension (ie, hypertensive BP levels in the office but not outside the office) have increased cardiovascular disease risk, whereas those with masked hypertension (ie, hypertensive BP levels outside the office but not in the office) are at substantially increased risk. In addition, high nighttime BP on ambulatory BP monitoring is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Both oscillometric and auscultatory methods are considered acceptable for measuring BP in children and adolescents. Regardless of the method used to measure BP, initial and ongoing training of technicians and healthcare providers and the use of validated and calibrated devices are critical for obtaining accurate BP measurements.

Blacks are at greater risk for lower sleep quality and higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) than other racial groups. In this study, we summarize the development of a tailored website including visuals, key messages, and video narratives, to promote awareness about sleep apnea among community-dwelling blacks. We utilized mixed methods, including in-depth interviews, usability-testing procedures, and brief surveys (n = 9, 55% female, 100% black, average age 38.5 years). Themes from the qualitative analysis illuminated varied knowledge regarding OSA symptoms and prevalent self-reported experience with sleep disturbance and OSA symptoms (e.g., snoring). On a scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (very high), participants provided favorable ratings of website usefulness (mean = 4.9), user friendliness (mean = 4.9) and attractiveness (mean = 4.3). Our findings suggest although tailored health communication has potential for serving as a tool for advancing health equity, usability-testing of health materials is critical to ensure that culturally and linguistically tailored messages are acceptable and actionable in the intended population.

High blood pressure is the leading modifiable risk factor for mortality, accounting for nearly 1 in 5 deaths worldwide and 1 in 11 in low-income countries. Hypertension control remains a challenge, especially in low-resource settings. One approach to improvement is the prioritization of patient-centered care. However, consensus on the outcomes that matter most to patients is lacking. We aimed to define a standard set of patient-centered outcomes for evaluating hypertension management in low- and middle-income countries. The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement convened a Working Group of 18 experts and patients representing 15 countries. We used a modified Delphi process to reach consensus on a set of outcomes, case-mix variables, and a timeline to guide data collection. Literature reviews, patient interviews, a patient validation survey, and an open review by hypertension experts informed the set. The set contains 18 clinical and patient-reported outcomes that reflect patient priorities and evidence-based hypertension management and case-mix variables to allow comparisons between providers. The domains included are hypertension control, cardiovascular complications, health-related quality of life, financial burden of care, medication burden, satisfaction with care, health literacy, and health behaviors. We present a core list of outcomes for evaluating hypertension care. They account for the unique challenges healthcare providers and patients face in low- and middle-income countries, yet are relevant to all settings. We believe that it is a vital step toward international benchmarking in hypertension care and, ultimately, value-based hypertension management.

In 2017, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the American College of Physicians/American Academy of Family Physicians (ACP/AAFP) published blood pressure guidelines. Adults recommended antihypertensive medication initiation or intensification by the ACP/AAFP guideline receive the same recommendation from the ACC/AHA guideline. However, many adults ≥60 years old are recommended to initiate or intensify antihypertensive medication by the ACC/AHA but not the ACP/AAFP guideline. We compared atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event rates according to antihypertensive treatment recommendations in the ACC/AHA and ACP/AAFP guidelines among adults ≥60 years old with systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg in the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) and the JHS (Jackson Heart Study). Among 4311 participants not taking antihypertensive medication at baseline, 11.4%, 61.2%, and 27.4% were recommended antihypertensive medication initiation by neither guideline, the ACC/AHA but not the ACP/AAFP guideline, and both guidelines, respectively. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event rates (95% CI) for these groups were 3.4 (1.6-5.2), 18.0 (16.1-19.8), and 25.3 (21.9-28.6) per 1000 person-years, respectively. Among 7281 participants taking antihypertensive medication at baseline, 57.9% and 42.1% were recommended antihypertensive medication intensification by the ACC/AHA but not the ACP/AAFP guideline and both guidelines, respectively. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event rates (95% CI) for these groups were 18.2 (16.7-19.7) and 33.0 (30.5-35.4) per 1000 person-years, respectively. In conclusion, adults recommended initiation or intensification of antihypertensive medication by the ACC/AHA but not the ACP/AAFP guideline have high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk that may be reduced through treatment initiation or intensification.