Abstract
Background: This paper describes a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a novel intervention to improve the management of hypertension among older people in rural South Africa. Older South Africans have the highest rates of uncontrolled hypertension recorded for any country. Notably, South Africa has a widely-available old age grant (pension), which is delivered on a monthly basis to citizens living in rural villages.
Methods: We assessed the feasibility of engaging with older people at the point of pension delivery in the Agincourt sub-district of Mpumalanga Province. This included providing information about hypertension, measuring blood pressure, referral to primary care services, and providing a monthly supply of low sodium salt. We recruited 20 people aged 60 and over to participate in the pilot intervention, which was conducted over three months in two villages. Towards the end of the intervention, we conducted focus groups with study participants and held a meeting with local stakeholders, including the district health office and the state social security agency.
Results: The pilot study demonstrated (i) Sustained engagement with the original 20 participants. Of these, 19 continued to participate in the intervention during subsequent monthly pension days. (ii) A high level of acceptance of the low sodium salt product reflected in repeat usage and comments made in the focus groups. (iii) Strong support for the intervention and a willingness to collaborate with local stakeholders. (iv) A perception among participants that symptoms they associated with hypertension had abated. This is supported by blood pressure readings made over the three months of follow-up.
Conclusion: Though limited in scope, this pilot study provided evidence of the feasibility of the intervention and justification for it to be tested on a larger and more robust basis.
Keywords: Hypertension, older people, pensions, South Africa, Agincourt, intervention.
Current Aging Science
Title:Pensions and Low Sodium Salt: A Qualitative Evaluation of a New Strategy for Managing Hypertension in Rural South Africa
Volume: 11 Issue: 2
Author(s): Peter Lloyd-Sherlock*, Francesc X. Gómez-Olivé, Sizzy Ngobeni, Ryan G. Wagner and Stephen Tollman
Affiliation:
- School of International Development, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ,United Kingdom
Keywords: Hypertension, older people, pensions, South Africa, Agincourt, intervention.
Abstract: Background: This paper describes a pilot study to assess the feasibility of a novel intervention to improve the management of hypertension among older people in rural South Africa. Older South Africans have the highest rates of uncontrolled hypertension recorded for any country. Notably, South Africa has a widely-available old age grant (pension), which is delivered on a monthly basis to citizens living in rural villages.
Methods: We assessed the feasibility of engaging with older people at the point of pension delivery in the Agincourt sub-district of Mpumalanga Province. This included providing information about hypertension, measuring blood pressure, referral to primary care services, and providing a monthly supply of low sodium salt. We recruited 20 people aged 60 and over to participate in the pilot intervention, which was conducted over three months in two villages. Towards the end of the intervention, we conducted focus groups with study participants and held a meeting with local stakeholders, including the district health office and the state social security agency.
Results: The pilot study demonstrated (i) Sustained engagement with the original 20 participants. Of these, 19 continued to participate in the intervention during subsequent monthly pension days. (ii) A high level of acceptance of the low sodium salt product reflected in repeat usage and comments made in the focus groups. (iii) Strong support for the intervention and a willingness to collaborate with local stakeholders. (iv) A perception among participants that symptoms they associated with hypertension had abated. This is supported by blood pressure readings made over the three months of follow-up.
Conclusion: Though limited in scope, this pilot study provided evidence of the feasibility of the intervention and justification for it to be tested on a larger and more robust basis.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Lloyd-Sherlock Peter *, Gómez-Olivé X. Francesc, Ngobeni Sizzy , Wagner G. Ryan and Tollman Stephen , Pensions and Low Sodium Salt: A Qualitative Evaluation of a New Strategy for Managing Hypertension in Rural South Africa, Current Aging Science 2018; 11 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874609811666180718114250
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874609811666180718114250 |
Print ISSN 1874-6098 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1874-6128 |
![](/images/wayfinder.jpg)
- Author Guidelines
- Bentham Author Support Services (BASS)
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Physical Exercise and Major Depressive Disorder - Where Do We Stand?
Current Psychopharmacology Renoprotection by Direct Renin Inhibition: A Review Article and Meta-Analysis
Current Vascular Pharmacology Sesame Seed Lignans: Potent Physiological Modulators and Possible Ingredients in Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals
Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture Monoclonal Antibodies in Rare Acquired Thrombotic Disorders: The Paradigms of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura and Central Retinal Vein Occlusion
Current Vascular Pharmacology Roles of Renal Proximal Tubule Transport in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension
Current Hypertension Reviews Postprandial Hypertriglyceridaemia Revisited in the Era of Non-Fasting Lipid Profile Testing: A 2019 Expert Panel Statement, Narrative Review
Current Vascular Pharmacology Mas Receptor Agonists as Novel Antihypertensive Agents
Current Hypertension Reviews Does Caffeine Affect Cardiovascular Responses?
Vascular Disease Prevention (Discontinued) Women’s Ginseng (Angelica sinensis): An Ethnopharmacological Dossier
Current Traditional Medicine Preface: The Inaugural Issue of Clinical Immunology Endocrine Metabolic Drugs
Clinical Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Drugs (Discontinued) MMP Inhibitors in Cardiac Diseases: An Update
Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery Prophylactic Potential of Conventional and Supercritical Garlic Extracts to Alleviate Diet Related Malfunctions
Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture Cerebrovascular Complications After Heart Transplantation
Current Cardiology Reviews The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Essential Hypertension
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Are Calcium Channel Blockers First-Line Drugs for the Treatment of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease?
Current Hypertension Reviews Hurdles in the Drug Discovery of Cathepsin K Inhibitors
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 Inhibition: Linking Metabolic Control to Cardiovascular Protection
Current Pharmaceutical Design Managing Cardiovascular Risk Factors without Medications: What is the Evidence?
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Prevalence and Clinical Profile of Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus: Data from a Tertiary Hospital
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Hyperglycemia and Diabetes Induced by Glucocorticoids in Nondiabetic and Diabetic Patients: Revision of Literature and Personal Considerations
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology