Integrating HIV, diabetes and hypertension services in Africa: study protocol for a cluster randomised trial in Tanzania and Uganda
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Study Protocol
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: HIV programmes in sub-Saharan Africa are well funded but programmes for diabetes and hypertension are weak with only a small proportion of patients in regular care. Healthcare provision is organised from stand-alone clinics. In this cluster randomised trial, we are evaluating a concept of integrated care for people with HIV infection, diabetes or hypertension from a single point of care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: 32 primary care health facilities in Dar es Salaam and Kampala regions were randomised to either integrated or standard vertical care. In the integrated care arm, services are organised from a single clinic where patients with either HIV infection, diabetes or hypertension are managed by the same clinical and counselling teams. They use the same pharmacy and laboratory and have the same style of patient records. Standard care involves separate pathways, that is, separate clinics, waiting and counselling areas, a separate pharmacy and separate medical records. The trial has two primary endpoints: retention in care of people with hypertension or diabetes and plasma viral load suppression. Recruitment is expected to take 6 months and follow-up is for 12 months. With 100 participants enrolled in each facility with diabetes or hypertension, the trial will provide 90% power to detect an absolute difference in retention of 15% between the study arms (at the 5% two-sided significance level). If 100 participants with HIV infection are also enrolled in each facility, we will have 90% power to show non-inferiority in virological suppression to a delta=10% margin (ie, that the upper limit of the one-sided 95% CI of the difference between the two arms will not exceed 10%). To allow for lost to follow-up, the trial will enrol over 220 persons per facility. This is the only trial of its kind evaluating the concept of a single integrated clinic for chronic conditions in Africa. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol has been approved by ethics committee of The AIDS Support Organisation, National Institute of Medical Research and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Dissemination of findings will be done through journal publications and meetings involving study participants, healthcare providers and other stakeholders. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN43896688.
Source: BMJ Open
Authors: Sayoki Godfrey Mfinanga, Moffat J Nyirenda, Gerald Mutungi, Janneth Mghamba, Sarah Maongezi, Joshua Musinguzi, Joseph Okebe, Sokoine Kivuyo, Josephine Birungi, Erik van Widenfelt, Marie-Claire Van Hout, Max Bachmann, Anupam Garrib, Dominic Bukenya, Walter Cullen, Jeffrey V Lazarus, Louis Wihelmus Niessen, Anne Katahoire, Elizabeth Henry Shayo, Ivan Namakoola, Kaushik Ramaiya, Duolao Wang, LE Cuevas, Bernard M Etukoit, Janet Lutale, Shimwela Meshack, Kenneth Mugisha, Geoff Gill, Nelson Sewankambo, Peter G Smith, Shabbar Jaffar
Institutions: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, National Institute for Medical Research, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Liverpool John Moores University, University of East Anglia, University College Dublin, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Universitat de Barcelona, Makerere University, The AIDS Support Organization, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,839
Funder: Medical Research Council
OpenAlex ID: W3205418940