Managing Hypertension Among People Living With HIV (MAP-IT)

The Managing Hypertension Among People Living with HIV: An InTegrated Model (MAP-IT) a stepped wedge, cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of practice facilitation (PF) on the integration of a Task-Shifting Strategy for hypertension (HTN) control (TASSH) into HIV care for management of HTN in people living with HIV (PLWH). The study will recruit 960 PLWH across 30 primary health centers (PHCs) in Akwa Ibom State (32 patients/PHC).

People Living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with hypertension (HTN) the most common. Integrating NCD management into HIV chronic care services may be a cost-effective strategy to mitigate the rising burden of NCDs in PLWH. The goal of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of practice facilitation in the integration of a task-shifting strategy for hypertension control into HIV care service delivered in primary health centers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study will occur in two phases: 1) The first phase is a UG3 Planning Phase during which investigators will use the iPARiHS implementation science framework to explore factors and support systems required for successful implementation and integration of TASSH into existing HIV chronic care platform and development of a context-specific practice facilitation strategy. 2) The second phase, which is the focus of this record, is a UH3 Implementation Phase during which we will use a stepped-wedge, cluster RCT, guided by the RE-AIM implementation science framework, to evaluate the effect of practice facilitation strategy on the level of adoption of TASSH, hypertension control, and level of sustainment of TASSH in management of hypertension among 960 patients enrolled in HIV treatment services across 30 PHCs.

Because of the nature of the intervention, it is impossible to blind the patients, lay health advisors, and the study coordinators to the group assignment; data analysts will remain blinded to treatment assignment until all data have been collected and the database is locked.

Components of the PF strategy include: (a) establishment of a steering committee of key stakeholders (ministry of health, state primary care agency, AIDS control agency, patient advocates) to provide leadership and guide integration of TASSH into HIV care platform; (b) training of the HIV nurses on TASSH protocol; and (c) training of practice facilitators, who will serve as coaches, provide support, and performance feedback to the PHC nurses on TASSH implementation.

HIV nurses based at Group B facilities will be trained on the 5As counseling approach strategy (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, and Arrange) and referral for the participants to the health center. However, they will not receive practice facilitation from the POFs. Participants attending PHC randomized to Group B will receive standard care offered by the facility.

TASSH includes CVD risk assessment; medication initiation and titration; lifestyle counseling and patient referral to physician care for complex cases. Practice Facilitation includes the training of external experts to support the HIV nurses implementing TASSH

Controlled BP is defined as Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) less than 140 mmHg and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) less than 90 mmHg.

Inclusion Criteria: Persons aged 18 years or older Be HIV positive and currently enrolled in HIV treatment services at one of the 30 study PHCs, be receiving HTN treatment services at one of the 30 study PHCs, or can be enrolled at one of the 30 study PHCs to receive HTN services for the entire study duration. Have elevated blood pressure between 140-179 mm Hg systolic and/or 90-109 mm Hg diastolic, as determined by the average of the latter two of three separate BP readings during one clinic visit Able to provide consent Exclusion Criteria: BP ≥180/100 mm Hg Known history of kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke A female who is pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of enrollment Inability to provide informed consent Refusal to participate in the study

Individual participant data, after deidentification (text, tables, figures, and appendices) will be shared upon reasonable request.

Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following article publication or as required by a condition of awards and agreements supporting the research.

The investigator who proposed to use the data will have access to the data upon reasonable request. Requests should be directed to Dike Ojji the contact PI for the study. To gain access, data requestors will need to sign a data-use agreement.