Design and implementation of a combined observational and interventional study: Trends of prevalence, awareness, treatment and control hypertension and the effect of expanded chronic care model on control, treatment and self-care

BACKGROUND: Lack of information about hypertension leads to failure in detection, treatment and reduced estimation of this disease effects. So, a comprehensive study, named trends of prevalence, awareness, treatment and control hypertension among the adults in Isfahan, Iran (۲۰۰۱-۲۰۱۶) and evaluation of the effect of expanded chronic care model (ECCM) on control, treatment and self-care, has been designed. This study explains the aspects of design and methods of its implementation. METHODS: This study was conducted in four stages in ۲۰۱۴-۲۰۱۶. In the ۱st­ stage, valid questionnaires were made to assess knowledge, attitude and practice, and self-care. In the ۲nd stage, the status of prevalence, awareness, treatment and control and hypertension risk factors was assessed. In the ۳rd­ stage, a two-group clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of ECCM on hypertensive patients and their families. In the ۴th­ stage, the results of hypertension prevalence and its risk factors in adults in ۲۰۱۶ were compared with two other studies undertaken in ۲۰۰۱ and ۲۰۰۷. RESULTS: To develop the questionnaire, face and content validity, internal and external reliability, and construct validity were examined. Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension and risk factors among ۲۱۰۷ adult individuals were determined in Isfahan. In a clinical trial, ۲۱۶ hypertensive patients were randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. Finally, a sample size of ۸۰۷۳ people was used to determine and compare the ۱۵-year-old trend of hypertension and its affecting factors. CONCLUSION: It is obvious that the final findings of this study will play a key role in health and research policy and provide a suitable model for implementing appropriate interventional measures at the provincial and national levels. 

Keywords:

Hypertension , Blood Pressure , Risk Factors , Self-Care , Educational Models , Iran