Rationale and Design of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) risk assessment and communication by nurses for primary and secondary prevention of CVDs in India

Abstract

: Rising burden of CVDs is the biggest challenge of 21st century in India and has contributed enormously to the increased burden on health care services including human resources. Innovative approaches are required to implement prevention programmes with limited human resource. One such approach is task shifting of CVD risk assessment and communication to nurses, as nurses are one of the key health care providers in all levels of health care. The present study has been designed to test the innovative approach of risk assessment and communication by nurses for primary and secondary prevention of CVDs in tertiary health care setting. The study is quasi experimental in nature with one year follow up to determine the effect of CVD risk assessment and communication by nurses using risk communication package on primary and secondary prevention of CVDs. All the nurses (n=16) working in the selected OPDs of the tertiary health care setting will be trained in CVD risk assessment and communication. A total of 900 patients (400 for primary prevention and 500 for secondary prevention) attending the medicine and allied along with cardiology out patient departments will be enrolled by trained nurses for the study. Primary outcome measures for primary and secondary prevention groups will be the cardiovascular risk modification and medication adherence respectively. Ethical approval has been obtained from Institute ethics committee. Results will be disseminated via peer reviewed scientific journals and presentation at national and international conferences.