Efficacy of Counselling for the Prevention of Hypertension (ECoPH)

Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of counseling interventions in promoting positive changes in hypertension markers among adult slum dwellers. The intervention is designed to address modifiable risk factors, such as physical inactivity, obesity, unhealthy dietary practices, tobacco and harmful uses of alcohol within a resource-limited community setting. The main question it aims to answer is:

* Is counseling a more effective intervention for the prevention of hypertension among adult slum dwellers in Dhaka city compared to other interventions?

Participants will:

* provide data related to tobacco use, physical activity, and dietary intake.
* provide a sample for blood pressure measurements. Will receive the WHO Brief Counselling intervention through 20 personalised sessions (each lasting approximately 20 minutes), focusing on lifestyle modifications, including physical activity promotion, balanced nutrition, and hypertension awareness.

Conditions

• Hypertension
• Cardiovascular Diseases

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

counseling, leaflet and mhealth education for hypertension

Investigators will develop 6 leaflets and 24-SMSs containing messages on the burden of hypertension, consequences, and the benefits of preventing of hypertension, and the healthy practices for preventing hypertension, tobacco, physical inactivity, dietary salt intake, inadequate fruits and vegetables, overweight and obesity, and the use of trans fat. It will be written in plain and simple Bengali. Leaflets will be received by CG-1, CG-3, IG-1 and IG-3. 24-SMSs. Face-to-face counselling (approximately 20 min/session). A total of 20 sessions (1 cycle) will be provided. The session will be repeated if the cycle is over.

BEHAVIORAL

Leaflets and mhealth education

Participants will receive 6 leaflets containing messages on the burden of hypertension, consequences, and benefits of prevention of hypertension, and the healthy practices for preventing hypertension. Participants will receive 24 SMSs containing the burden of hypertension, consequences, and benefits of prevention of hypertension, and the healthy practices for preventing hypertension. And additionally receive a dummy counselling of 5 to 10 minutes informal discussion with the participants, which will not include any health messages that will be received by the participants of the intervention group.

OTHER

Dummy Placebo

Participants will only receive a dummy counselling of 5 to 10 minutes informal discussion with the participants, which will not include any health messages that will be received by the participants of the intervention group.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bangladesh University of Professionals

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Bangladesh University of Health Sciences

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Palash C. Banik, MPhil in Noncommunicable disea · Bangladesh University of Health Sciences

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-10-01

Primary Completion

2026-12-30

Completion

2027-03-30

Countries

• Bangladesh

Study Locations