Implementation Support for HEARTS-Based Hypertension and Diabetes Care in Guatemala (MULTI-HEARTS)

MULTI-HEARTS is a cluster-randomized, hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation trial of implementation support for HEARTS, the official model for hypertension and diabetes primary care in Guatemala's Ministry of Health. Health centers in both arms will implement HEARTS through the Ministry of Health's routine strategies. In the implementation support arm, health centers also will receive additional implementation support strategies directed at health workers, managers, and support staff.

The primary objective is to evaluate whether HEARTS implementation support leads to better hypertension and diabetes control than routine HEARTS implementation among adults with hypertension and diabetes. We hypothesize that implementation support will lead to lower mean systolic blood pressure at 12 months (primary outcome) compared to routine HEARTS implementation. The key secondary outcome is mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at 12 months. Other secondary outcomes are mean diastolic blood pressure and the proportions of participants with blood pressure control, HbA1c control, and combined blood pressure and HbA1c control at 12 months. The primary implementation outcome is Reach, which is defined in the study to be the monthly number of patients treated with both antihypertensive and glucose-lowering medications at participating health centers. In an economic evaluation, we will also estimate costs, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact.

We will randomize 36 Ministry of Health health centers in a 1:1 ratio, with stratification by health area. We will enroll 1,440 adults aged 18 years or older with systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg and HbA1c ≥6.5%. There will be approximately 40 participants per health center and a total of 720 per arm. Allowing for 15% attrition, the trial will have at least 80% power to detect a between-arm difference of 5.0 mmHg in mean systolic blood pressure at 12 months. The health centers serve urban and rural communities, and many participants will live in poverty and have limited literacy. Some trial participants are expected to be Indigenous Maya and will primarily speak a Mayan language rather than Spanish.

After a 1-year trial planning period, health centers will be randomized before the start of the 36-month implementation period. Each participant will be followed for 12 months. Ministry of Health administrative data will also be collected for a 6-month post-trial period. In addition to the trial data, the study includes additional data collection for implementation and economic evaluations.