Standardized disease-related measures in diabetes research: results from a global consensus process.

Background: A lack of disease-related consensus measures for type 2 diabetes interventions is a barrier to comparing interventions across various contexts, as well as to implementation and scale-up. This study aimed to use an expert consensus approach to select disease-related measures for type 2 diabetes to facilitate cross-contextual research, as well as the implementation and scaling-up of initiatives.

Methods: The study was conducted using a two-phased cross-sectional design consisting of an online survey among research experts in 17 diabetes projects working in a global context, followed by an online modified Delphi panel comprised of reviewers with domain-specific expertise from different income settings who were not survey participants.

Healthcare providers perspectives on HIV-NCD integration to Meet the needs of older adults living with HIV.

Background: Advances in antiretroviral therapy have enabled people living with HIV (PLHIV) to live longer and healthier lives. However, aging with HIV infection is accompanied by an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), highlighting the need to integrate care services. The Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) in Eldoret, Kenyahas, which has been providing care for PLHIV for over 30 years, is seeing an increase in NCDs, particularly hypertension and diabetes, especially among older patients.

Mental Health Stressors of the COVID-19 Pandemic Negatively Affect Self-Management of Comorbid Cardiovascular Disease Among Persons Living With HIV in the United States: A Qualitative Study.

The impact of COVID-19-related mental health effects on health behaviors among people living with HIV (PLWH) remains unknown. Our qualitative study explored the relationship between the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and self-management of HIV and cardiovascular disease (CVD) among PLWH in the United States. Twenty-four PLWH enrolled in a multicenter, cardiovascular, clinical trial completed one-on-one semistructured interviews to assess changes in mood, health behaviors, and comorbid CVD management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Growing Data science Research in Africa to Stimulate Progress (GRASP) program: Rationale and overview.

Brain health is pivotal to achieving overall health and all current sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, a dedicated training program in brain health research to unravel its complex determinants, especially genetic, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors is lacking in Africa. The rowing Data-science esearch in frica to timulate rogress () is a three-year program designed to harness innovation potential to build sustainable data science (DS) research capacity among qualified African scholars through innovative partnerships and collaborations.

Music as an implementation strategy for evidence-based health interventions in Africa: a systematic review using the RE-AIM framework.

Background: While a growing body of scientific literature suggests that evidence-based interventions may improve health outcomes in diverse settings, little is known about the best strategies for large-scale implementation. In Africa, music-an important positive social determinant of health-leverages existing cultural values, which may effectively enhance the reach, uptake, and long-term sustainability of evidence-based interventions in the region. To understand how music interventions work, why they are effective, and with whom they resonate, this systematic review aims to evaluate the quality and empirical application of music as an implementation strategy for adopting evidence-based interventions in Africa using the RE-AIM framework as a guide.

Associations between fine particulate matter and in-home blood pressure during the 2022 wildfire season in Western Montana, USA.

Wildfires continue to increase in size, intensity, and duration. There is growing evidence that wildfire smoke adversely impacts clinical outcomes; however, few studies have assessed the impact of wildfires on household air quality and subclinical cardiovascular health indicators. We measured continuous indoor and outdoor fine particulate matter (PM) concentrations from July-October 2022 at 20 residences in the rural, mountainous state of Montana in the United States.

Systematic screening for atrial fibrillation with non-invasive devices: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Systematic screening individuals with non-invasive devices may improve diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) and reduce adverse clinical events. We systematically reviewed the existing literature to determine the yield of new AF diagnosis associated with systematic AF screening, the relative increase in yield of new AF diagnosis with systematic screening compared to usual care, and the effect of systematic AF screening on clinical outcomes compared with usual care.

Methods: The Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception through 1st February 2025 for prospective cohort studies or randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of systematic AF screening with the outcome of incidence of previously undiagnosed AF from screening.

Virtual adaptation of a nurse-driven strategy to improve blood pressure control among people with HIV.

People with HIV are at increased risk of cardiovascular events; thus, care delivery strategies that increase access to comprehensive cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk management are a priority. We report the results of a multi-component telemedicine-based strategy to improve blood pressure control among people with HIV-Assess and Adapt to the Impact of COVID-19 on CVD Self-Management and Prevention Care in Adults Living with HIV (AAIM-High). The AAIM High strategy is a virtual adaptation of our previously published EXTRA-CVD strategy and consisted of hypertension education and six components: nurse-led care coordination (delivered by teleconference or telephone), home systolic blood pressure (SBP) monitoring, evidence-based treatment algorithms, electronic health records tools, technology coach, and communication preferences assessment.

Challenges and enablers for scaling up interventions targeting non-communicable diseases: a qualitative study applying the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to 19 research projects worldwide.

Introduction: Scaling up interventions targeting non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a global health priority, and implementation research can contribute to that effort. In 2019, the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases funded 27 implementation research studies to improve evidence for scaling up interventions targeting prevention and/or control of hypertension and/or diabetes in low-resource settings. We examined these studies to improve the understanding of the implementation factors, including challenges and facilitators, that influence the early implementation phase of scale-up research projects targeting NCDs.

Food insecurity is associated with greater difficulty accessing care among people living with HIV with or without comorbid non-communicable diseases in western Kenya.

Introduction: The relationship between food insecurity and access to healthcare in low-resource settings remains unclear. Some studies find that food insecurity is a barrier to accessing care, while others report that food insecurity is associated with a greater need for care, leading to more care utilisation. We use data from the Harambee study in western Kenya to assess the association between food insecurity and difficulty accessing care among people living with HIV (PLWH) with or without comorbid non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Clearing the Air to Address Pollution's Cardiovascular Health Crisis.

Air pollution is a critical global health issue that significantly impacts cardiovascular health. The air pollutant PM (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less) has been positioned as a leading environmental risk factor for morbidity and mortality, especially from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

A Mixed Methods Exploration of Young Women's Agency and Mental Health during COVID-19 in Low-Income Communities in Mumbai, India.

Introduction: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in India face additional health inequities compared to their male peers, as gender norms constrain agency for prevention and self-care. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns deepened health inequities and often worsened mental health, but the impacts on agency are unclear. This exploratory sequential mixed methods paper examined mental health and COVID-19 elements that exacerbated or mitigated adverse consequences for AGYW in low-income communities in Mumbai.

Core outcome sets for trials of interventions to prevent and to treat multimorbidity in adults in low and middle-income countries: the COSMOS study.

Introduction: The burden of multimorbidity is recognised increasingly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), creating a strong emphasis on the need for effective evidence-based interventions. Core outcome sets (COS) appropriate for the study of multimorbidity in LMICs do not presently exist. These are required to standardise reporting and contribute to a consistent and cohesive evidence-base to inform policy and practice.

Evaluating the efficacy of UNav: A computer vision-based navigation aid for persons with blindness or low vision.

UNav is a computer-vision-based localization and navigation aid that provides step-by-step route instructions to reach selected destinations without any infrastructure in both indoor and outdoor environments. Despite the initial literature highlighting UNav's potential, clinical efficacy has not yet been rigorously evaluated. Herein, we assess UNav against standard in-person travel directions (SIPTD) for persons with blindness or low vision (PBLV) in an ecologically valid environment using a non-inferiority design.

Cost-effectiveness of group medical visits and microfinance interventions versus usual care to manage hypertension in Kenya: a secondary modelling analysis of data from the Bridging Income Generation with Group Integrated Care (BIGPIC) trial.

Background: The Bridging Income Generation with Group Integrated Care (BIGPIC) trial in rural Kenya showed that integrating usual care with group medical visits or microfinance interventions reduced systolic blood pressure and cardiovascular risk in participants. We aimed to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of three BIGPIC interventions for a modelled cohort and by sex, as well as the cost of implementing these interventions.

Methods: For this analysis, we used data collected during the BIGPIC trial, a four-group, cluster-randomised trial conducted in the western Kenyan catchment area of the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare.

Nurse-Led Strategy to Improve Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Level Among People With HIV: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Despite higher atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk, people with HIV (PWH) experience unique barriers to ASCVD prevention, such as changing models of HIV primary care.

Objective: To test whether a multicomponent nurse-led strategy would improve systolic blood pressure (SBP) and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level in a diverse population of PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial enrolled PWH at 3 academic HIV clinics in the US from September 2019 to January 2022 and conducted follow-up for 12 months until January 2023.

Core outcome sets for trials of interventions to prevent and to treat multimorbidity in low- and middle-income countries: the COSMOS study.

Introduction: The burden of multimorbidity is recognised increasingly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), creating a strong emphasis on the need for effective evidence-based interventions. A core outcome set (COS) appropriate for the study of multimorbidity in LMIC contexts does not presently exist. This is required to standardise reporting and contribute to a consistent and cohesive evidence-base to inform policy and practice.

Prioritising and planning scale-up research projects targeting non-communicable diseases: a mixed-method study by the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases upscaling working group.

Introduction: Governments must scale-up evidence-based interventions to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Implementation research can help develop contextually appropriate strategies and optimise interventions for scale-up. We aimed to determine the priorities of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) 2019 funding round for scale-up research targeting NCD interventions.

Types and Outcomes of Arrhythmias in a Cardiac Care Unit in Western Kenya: A Prospective Study.

Background: Sustained arrhythmias are frequently encountered in cardiac care units (CCU), but their types and outcomes in Africa are unknown. Studies from high-income countries suggest arrhythmias are associated with worse outcomes.

Objectives: To determine the types and proportion of cardiac arrhythmias among patients admitted to the CCU at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), and to compare 30-day outcomes between patients with and without arrhythmias at the time of CCU admission.

Cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with medication adherence in western Kenya.

Objectives: Poor medication adherence in low-income and middle-income countries is a major cause of suboptimal hypertension and diabetes control. We aimed to identify key factors associated with medication adherence in western Kenya, with a focus on cost-related and economic wealth factors.

Setting: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data of participants enrolled in the Bridging Income Generation with Group Integrated Care study in western Kenya.

Cost effectiveness review of text messaging, smartphone application, and website interventions targeting T2DM or hypertension.

Digital health interventions have been shown to be clinically-effective for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension prevention and treatment. This study synthesizes and compares the cost-effectiveness of text-messaging, smartphone application, and websites by searching CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Embase, Medline and PsycInfo for full economic or cost-minimisation studies of digital health interventions in adults with or at risk of T2DM and/or hypertension. Costs and health effects are synthesised narratively.