Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Health–Based Female Community Health Volunteer Program for Hypertension Control in Rural Nepal: Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.15419
• Publication Date: 2020-03-09T13:30:42Z
• Authors: Zhao Ni; Namratha Atluri; Ryan J Shaw; Jingru Tan; Kinza Khan; Helena Merk; Yunfan Ge; Shrinkhala Shrestha; Abha Shrestha; Lavanya Vasudevan; Biraj Karmacharya; Lijing L Yan
• Keywords: Community Health; Rural Health

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause of death. The prevalence hypertension disproportionately higher in South Asian countries than other regions world. Screening primary care settings remains challenge many countries, including Nepal. Nepal located Himalayan Mountains region, posing significant geographical challenges its rural citizens to access health and service delivery. This barrier increases costs inconvenience Nepalis screening treatment. As result, tripled last 25 years 22.4%-38.6%. Nepal’s Ministry Health Population relies on female community volunteers link centers communities provide basic services. Over 50,000 these have received training are assigned take maternal child health. Due limited resources, adopting new methods control an urgent need Several recent studies recommended extending role include management through blood pressure monitoring home-based education. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> goal this study was assess if mobile health–based volunteer approach combining traditional program with digital technologies would be feasible acceptable Nepa <title>METHODS</title> In study, we recruited 17 extended their from pressures. <title>RESULTS</title> All successfully measured 1113 Nepalis’ pressures, identified 169 hypertensive patients, collected behaviors data patients. Among 70% them had phone, 92% were interested receiving health-related information via phone. those who 84% preferred voice calls, 7% 1% texting apps, respectively. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> Results indicate that intervention leverages feature-phones combined may pragmatic way implement evidence-based reduce