Village doctors managing hypertension in rural China

Abstract

High blood pressure is the leading attributable risk factor for preventable deaths globally. 1 GBD 2019 Risk Factors CollaboratorsGlobal burden of 87 risk factors in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet. 2020; 396: 1223-1249 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1527) Google Scholar About 1·4 billion people have hypertension worldwide, one-quarter of whom live in China where blood pressure control rates are poor, especially in rural areas (<10% among those with hypertension). 2 Li Y Yang L Wang L et al. Burden of hypertension in China: a nationally representative survey of 174 621 adults. Int J Cardiol. 2017; 227: 516-523 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (143) Google Scholar , 3 Lu J Lu Y Wang X et al. Prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in China: data from 1·7 million adults in a population-based screening study (China PEACE Million Persons Project). Lancet. 2017; 390: 2549-2558 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (521) Google Scholar , 4 Qin VM McPake B Raban MZ et al. Rural and urban differences in health system performance among older Chinese adults: cross-sectional analysis of a national sample. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020; 20: 372 Crossref PubMed Scopus (10) Google Scholar A village doctor-led multifaceted intervention for blood pressure control in rural China: an open, cluster randomised trialCompared with enhanced usual care, village doctor-led intervention resulted in statistically significant improvements in blood pressure control among rural residents in China. This feasible, effective, and sustainable implementation strategy could be scaled up in rural China and other low-income and middle-income countries for hypertension control. Full-Text PDF