Integrated community-based versus facility-based care for people with HIV, diabetes, and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa (INTE-COMM): an open-label, multicountry, cluster-randomised trial - PubMed
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- The INTE-COMM trial compared integrated community-based care with facility-based care for managing HIV, diabetes, and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa.
- The study was conducted in Tanzania and Uganda, involving 14 primary care facilities and 1864 participants grouped into 124 clusters.
- Participants were randomly assigned to either community care (monthly meetings with a nurse and lay worker) or facility care (shared services at health facilities).
- Primary outcomes included blood pressure/glucose control for diabetes/hypertension and viral load suppression for HIV.
- Results showed no significant difference in blood pressure/glucose control between community and facility care for diabetes/hypertension patients.
- HIV patients in both groups achieved high viral suppression rates (99.1% in community care vs. 98.7% in facility care).
- Community-based care was found to be non-inferior to facility-based care, offering a viable alternative without compromising outcomes.
- The study concluded that integrated community care can effectively manage diabetes and hypertension while maintaining HIV care standards.
- Funding was provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, with no competing interests declared.