PERCEPTION AND PRACTICES OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS FOR ACCESSING TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION AT A TERTIARY LEVEL HOSPITAL IN RAWALPINDI, PAKISTAN: A STUDY PROTOCOL

Abstract

To enable delivery of a multi-component intervention comprising of strategies based on Disease Control Priorities 3rd edition for management of hypertension among hypertensive patients. The secondary objective is to test the feasibility, acceptability and adaptability of a multi-component intervention delivered at a tertiary level health-care facility in the cultural context of Pakistan. For this formative research study, we will employ qualitative research methods to explore the feasibility, applicability and acceptance of DCP3 based intervention comprising of strategies for hypertension management. Focus group discussions and in depth interviews with selected study participants will be conducted at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi for which a prior written and verbal consent will be obtained from all research participants.