Gaziano Awarded Blood Pressure Control Grant

CHDS faculty member Thomas Gaziano and MGH clinical researcher, Mark Siedner were awarded a grant to study blood pressure control in South Africa. “Implementation of a Combination Intervention for Sustainable Blood Pressure Control in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (IMPACT-BP)” was funded for five years by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH to inform best practices for implementation of interventions to promote hypertension care in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

The research team recently found that 16% of adults >18 years old in rural KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have hypertension, and fewer than 25% of those with hypertension have their disease controlled. The investigators are collaborating with the KZN Department of Health and the South African Department of Health to implement a combination of individual and clinic-based interventions to achieve sustained blood pressure control in this high-prevalence population. The research team is currently finalizing the study design which will evaluate the implementation of task-sharing through the employment of Community Care Givers and the use of mHealth tools to promote patient self-efficacy and improve control of hypertension.

Learn more: Read more about IMPACT-BP