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Strengthening Primary Healthcare Delivery for Diabetes and Hypertension in Eswatini

Strengthening Primary Healthcare Delivery for Diabetes and Hypertension in Eswatini: A Cluster-randomized Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04183413
Enrollment
3500
Registered
2019-12-03
Start date
2021-11-01
Completion date
2023-12-31
Last updated
2024-10-31

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension

Keywords

Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes, Hypertension, WHO-PEN, Health service decentralization, Community Health Worker, Eswatini, Swaziland, Scale-up, Implementation research, Cost-effectiveness, Mixed methods, Comorbidity, Non-Communicable Disease, Cardiovascular disease risk factors

Brief summary

The WHO-PEN@Scale project is a three-arm cluster-randomized trial that is investigating the population-level effects of a healthcare reform in Eswatini, which aims to strengthen primary care for diabetes and hypertension. Prior to the reform, healthcare for diabetes and hypertension was mostly provided through physician-led teams in hospital outpatient departments. The healthcare reform aims to strengthen the provision of nurse-led care for diabetes and hypertension in primary healthcare facilities and community health worker-led care for these conditions in the facilities' catchment areas. The reform will broadly be guided by the World Health Organization's Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions for Primary Health Care in Low-Resource Settings (WHO-PEN). The trial will take place at 84 clusters (a primary healthcare facility and its catchment area) across the country.

Interventions

OTHERDSD

This intervention consist of three Differentiated Service Delivery Models in which stable clients can be enrolled. The fast-track model gives preferential treatment to enrolled clients. Clients arrive at clinics, usually early in the morning, and can see the nurse as well as collect their medication without queuing. This model mainly targets the working population. The facility-based treatment clubs consist of bimonthly meetings where clients meet in groups of approximately 20 members. They receive health counselling, risk factor screening and medication prescription. This model mainly targets clients living close to the facility. The community advisory groups consist of groups of up to six clients. Groups are equipped with a point of care blood pressure and blood glucose measurement devices. They take turns in collecting the medication for the entire group and meet on a monthly basis. This model targets clients in hard-to-reach areas.

OTHERCDP

Community Distribution Points are set up on a monthly basis in communities linked to the clinic. Healthcare staff sets up a temporary point of contact where clients can obtain screening for diabetes and hypertension, health counselling, referral to primary or tertiary facilities, and medication.

Sponsors

Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development
CollaboratorOTHER
Swiss Tropical & Public Health Institute
CollaboratorOTHER
Clinton Health Access Initiative, Eswatini
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
University of Göttingen
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Eswatini
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
SWABCHA, Eswatini
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Diabetes Swaziland
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
University Hospital Heidelberg
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

This is a parallel three-arm cluster-randomized trial without a baseline assessment.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

for the outcome assessment (household survey): * Residing in one of the selected households * Age ≥40 years

Exclusion criteria

for the outcome assessment (household survey): * Pregnant * Inability to provide written informed consent

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Glycemic control (continuous) among adults with diabetes12 monthsMean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes
Systolic blood pressure among adults with hypertension12 monthsMean systolic blood pressure among adults aged 40 years and older with hypertension

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Glycemic control (binary) among adults with diabetes or prediabetes12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes or prediabetes who have an HbA1c less than 7.0%
Awareness of one's diabetes diagnosis12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes who report to have been diagnosed with diabetes prior to the household survey
Awareness of one's diabetes or prediabetes diagnosis12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes or prediabetes who report to have been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes prior to the household survey
Probability of being treated for diabetes among adults with diabetes12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes who report to be taking medication for their diabetes
Probability of having been tested for diabetes among adults with diabetes12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes who report to have ever been tested for diabetes
Probability of having been tested for diabetes among adults with diabetes or prediabetes12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes or prediabetes who report to have ever been tested for diabetes
Probability of smoking among adults with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension who report to be a current smoker
Time spent doing moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise among adults with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension12 monthsThe mean number of minutes in a typical week spent doing moderate- or vigorous-intensity exercise among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes
Systolic blood pressure among adults with diabetes12 monthsMean systolic blood pressure among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes
HbA1c among adults with diabetes or prediabetes12 monthsMean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes or prediabetes
Diastolic blood pressure among adults with diabetes12 monthsMean diastolic blood pressure among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes
Diastolic blood pressure among adults with diabetes or prediabetes12 monthsMean diastolic blood pressure among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes or prediabetes
Hypertension control (binary) among adults with hypertension12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with hypertension who have a systolic blood pressure \<140 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure \<90 mm Hg
Diastolic blood pressure among adults with hypertension12 monthsMean diastolic blood pressure among adults aged 40 years and older with hypertension
Awareness of one's hypertension diagnosis12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with hypertension who report to have been diagnosed with hypertension prior to the household survey
Probability of being treated for hypertension among adults with hypertension12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with hypertension who report to be taking blood-pressure-lowering medication
Probability of having been tested for hypertension among adults with hypertension12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with hypertension who report to have ever had their blood pressure measured
Frequency of drinking alcohol in the past 12 months among adults with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension who report to having drunk daily, 5-6 days per week, 3-4 days per week, 1-2 days per week, 1-3 days per month, less than once a month, or never over the past 12 months.
21. Knowledge on diabetes and hypertension among adults with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes, prediabetes, or hypertension who correctly responded to each individual question on diabetes and hypertension related knowledge.
Systolic blood pressure among adults with diabetes or prediabetes12 monthsMean systolic blood pressure among adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes or prediabetes
Glycemic control (binary) among adults with diabetes12 monthsThe proportion of adults aged 40 years and older with diabetes who have an HbA1c less than 7.0%

Countries

Eswatini

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 28, 2026