What is the CO-HEART study?
The Co-Produced Hypertension Adult Intervention (CO-HEART) study is a research project that aims to develop a feasible, acceptable, and sustainable co-produced primary healthcare intervention for rural adults with undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) in Ghana.
Why is the study important?
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a “silent killer” in adults in Ghana.
One in three adults has hypertension and doesn’t know it…..
Adults living in rural communities suffer the most due to limited health services to screen, treat, and control hypertension.
The GOOD NEWS…hypertension is preventable and treatable.
What does co-produced mean?
Co-production means the hypertension intervention will be created together drawing on the ‘expert’ knowledge from rural adults who are experiencing hypertension and local health care providers who are delivering care in rural settings in Ghana.
Who are the researchers?
The primary researcher is Sandra Peniston, a PhD study at the University of Edinburgh who has been volunteering and researching in Northern Ghana with the Northern Empowerment Association since 2010.
Dr. Asubiojo Benjamin, Medical Director of Leyaata Hospital, along with healthcare providers at the Leyaata Hospital and CHPS compounds, will be members of the Intervention Development Team.
How and when will the research happen?
The research will take place in three phases from November 2023 – December 2024
Phase 1: Evidence Collation and Synthesis
Focus groups with community members and interviews with healthcare providers
Phase 2: Intervention Co-Production
Four Workshops with the Intervention Development Team
Phase 3: Test and Adapt
Pilot the intervention, test and revise
Contact Sandra Peniston for more information
s.peniston@sms.ed.ac.uk
+44 (0) 0773 523 2866
This research is approved by the Ghana Health Services Ethics Committee and the University of Edinburgh.
