Community Partnership to Examine Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health Care for Hypertension and Diabetes

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Hypertension and diabetes are among the most common chronic diseases in the United States. Racial and ethnic minority groups are more at risk for these diseases than the Caucasian population. This study will attempt to identify factors that contribute to racial and ethnic differences in hypertension and diabetes care among minority patients of community health centers (CHCs). This information will be used to design and implement programs to improve quality of care in these communities.

Detailed Description
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Hypertension and diabetes are the primary contributors to today's high rates of heart disease and stroke, which are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States, respectively. African Americans and Hispanics have a higher risk of developing hypertension and diabetes than do Caucasians. They are also less likely to know that they have high blood pressure, are more prone to organ damage, and are more likely to die as a result of these chronic conditions. A significant number of African Americans and Hispanics are uninsured and receive care through publicly supported CHCs. It is important to identify factors that contribute to healthcare differences among the lower income, uninsured, and minority populations that are typically served by CHCs. In this study, a collaborative partnership will be developed between CHCs, health service research organizations, and academic researchers. The goal of the study is to examine the barriers that minority CHC patients face in receiving appropriate hypertension and diabetes care. This study will develop a collaborative partnership between various health organizations and seven CHCs located in Boston neighborhoods that have a large percentage of African American and Hispanic residents. Researchers will conduct focus groups with CHC patients who are receiving care for hypertension or diabetes. CHC staff members will be interviewed to collect information regarding the relationship between CHC organizational structure and disparities in heart disease risk factors among minority patients with hypertension or diabetes. Researchers will then develop, implement, and evaluate a patient- and CHC-focused intervention aimed at reducing the cardiovascular risks of minority patients at four CHCs in Boston.

Official Title
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Community, Health Center, and Academic Medicine Partnership Project (CHAMPP)

Conditions
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Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitis

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Medical Practice Improvement
* Behavioral: Patient Education and Support
* Other: Combination Intervention to Include Medical Practice Improvement and Patient Education and Support


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Diabetes Hypertension, as diagnosed by the average of two or more blood pressure measurements taken during two or more study visits following an initial screening Race is 'Black' or ethnicity is 'Hispanic' Patient at participating Community Health Center

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: A<br>Patient-based intervention | Behavioral: Patient Education and Support<br>* The details for the patient education and support intervention will be decided at a later date.<br>|
| Active Comparator: B<br>Health center-based intervention | Behavioral: Medical Practice Improvement<br>* The details for the medical practice improvement intervention will be decided at a later date.<br>|
| Active Comparator: C<br>Combination of patient and health center-based intervention | Other: Combination Intervention to Include Medical Practice Improvement and Patient Education and Support<br>* The details for this combination intervention will be decided at a later date.<br>|
| No Intervention: D<br>Control group: Neither patient-based nor center-based intervention | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Potential outcomes for the future intervention include systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and hemoglobin A1c |  | Measured from June to August 2008 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Community Health Centers, Diabetes, Blood Pressure, High