Tecla Namuma Namusonge
AMREF Health Africa, Kenya
Title: Challenges of hypertension diagnosis in urban informal settlement, Kibera slum in Kenya
Biography
Biography: Tecla Namuma Namusonge
Abstract
Background: Hypertension is the leading cause of NCD related morbidity and mortality in Kenya with the prevalence of elevated BP in Kenya at 23.8%. In a bid to address this burden, the Ministry of Health developed a protocol for management of hypertension which states that an elevated BP reading should be confirmed on three separate occasions. The objective of this study is to evaluate hypertension diagnosis following initial BP screening in Kibera Informal Settlement. Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study where clients reached with hypertension screening through the Healthy Heart Africa Project between October 2015 and March 2016 were followed for diagnosis. Data was recorded in manual linkage registers and analysis done for individuals with initially elevated BP who came for subsequent readings until final diagnosis. Results: A total of 34,779 people were screened, out of whom 6,150 (17.7%) an initially high BP. Only 1,270 (20.7%) with an elevated BP returned for a second reading and only 220 individuals retuned for the third reading. Overall, 23% (1421) of clients with elevated BP were diagnosed. Due to the use of manual records, some of the clients returning for follow-up were captured as new clients’ further delaying diagnosis. Discussion: There was a high attrition rate along the hypertension diagnosis process. The long diagnostic process posed a challenge for hypertension management in this highly mobile population. There is need for strategies to strengthening the diagnosis process within this population and adoption of an electronic medical records system to facilitate follow-up.