Participating institutions

Instituto de Nutrición de Centro América y Panamá (INCAP)

Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas (UNICACH)

Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR)

RAND Corporation.

CIIPEC Researchers

Sandra Murillo, Ph.D,

Manuel Ramírez, MD, Ph.D,

Homero Martínez, MD, Ph.D.

Other collaborating researchers

Researchers in training

Ana Laura Dengo, PhD., Costa Rica

Nadia Alvarado, MSc.

Maricruz Castro, Chiapas Mexico

Liz Arleth Peña, Chiapas Mexico

Funding agency

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Instituto de Nutrición de Centro América y Panamá (INCAP)

General objective

Adapt an intervention model that can be applied at primary health care   that improves adherence to treatment and proposed changes on life style in   order to reduce the cardiovascular disease risk factors as a secondary   complication of type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension.

Methodology

 Phase 1, formative research: 

This phase focuses on identifying the capacity, resources and programs   offered by the National, state and local health system, in relation to the   attention of the CVDs, including type 2diabetes and hypertension, by the   officers and decision makers. Also, the knowledge, perceptions and opinions   about CVDs will be explored on the health services providers (including   medical and paramedical staff and people who live at the participating   communities).

Phase 2: Adaptation and validation 

The clinical attention protocols and educative materials previously   developed will be adapted and validated, in order to include the proposed   model within the system already established, and assure that the educative   materials are culturally appropriate for each one of the participating   regions in the study.

Phase 3: Application of the proposed model: 

The proposed model will be applied   in order to assess its feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness in the   short term, using a cuasi-experimental design with an intervention group and   a control group, for each one of the participating countries.

Up-to- date achievements

·         The corresponding agreements between INCAP and the participating   Universities: Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas (UNICACH) and   Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) were made.

·         The research protocol has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of   INCAP, RAND, Universidad de Ciencias y Arte de Chiapas and Universidad de Costa Rica.

·         The research staff at each of the participating countries has been   chosen, appointed and working on the project.

·         The proposal of the project has been socialized to the corresponding   health authorities on both countries and the communities where the project   will take place have been selected.

·         The logistics for the development of phase 1 has finished and the following activities has begun.

·         NIHLBI`s site establishment has been made.

·         The registration of the protocol at NIHLBI is ongoing.