Addressing Gaps in the Hypertension and Diabetes Care Continuum in Rural Bangladesh Through Digital Technology Supported Decentralized Primary Care: Study Protocol and Baseline Results for a Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial

Abstract

Background. Hypertension and diabetes are very common, interrelated chronic conditions. Awareness, diagnosis, treatment, and control rates of these conditions remain low, and access to quality care-particularly in rural areas-is a persistent challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. Strengthening primary health care, including the use of digital tools, is important to improve management of these chronic conditions.

Objective. This study aims to assess the implementation and effectiveness of a multicomponent, decentralized primary care model in comparison with a digital health-only intervention and usual care in rural Bangladesh.

Methods. The study applies a type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation design, using a 3-arm quasi-experimental approach, comprising 2 intervention arms and 1 usual care comparison arm. The study is being conducted across 3 subdistricts in the Dinajpur district, Rangpur division, northern Bangladesh. Primary outcomes include blood pressure and blood glucose control rates, assessed by population-based repeated cross-sectional surveys with independent samples, supplemented by facility-based prospective cohort data. Additionally, a mixed methods process evaluation is being conducted to capture the quantity, fidelity, adaptations, reach, and context of the interventions.

Results. The baseline community survey was conducted between January and March 2024, enrolling 6849 participants distributed across 3 arms: 2262 in usual care, 2287 in the digital-only arm, and 2300 in the multicomponent intervention arm. Participants had a mean age of 55.9 (SD 10.6) years with equal sex distribution (female: 3432/6849, 50.1%). Educational attainment was low, with 39.5% (2704/6849) of participants having no formal schooling and only 12.1% (917/6849) attaining secondary or higher education. The majority (6316/6849, 92.2%) reported being either self-employed or homemakers. The age-standardized baseline blood pressure control rate among all participants with hypertension was 10.2% overall, while the glycemic control rate among those with diabetes was 14.9%. Awareness and treatment rates for hypertension were 35.3% and 23.0%, respectively, compared to 60.7% and 34.5% for diabetes.

Conclusions. The study findings will provide critical evidence on scalable models for decentralized noncommunicable disease care and will have important implications for improving the management of hypertension and diabetes in Bangladesh and similar low-resource settings globally.