Financial incentives did not significantly improve hypertension control rates at 12 months compared to standard education alone (20.8% vs 15.8%, P=0.318).
RCT
1:1
Yes
Do financial incentives improve blood pressure reduction and hypertension control in patients with poorly controlled hypertension?
Financial incentives added to standard education did not provide sustained improvements in blood pressure control or medication adherence at 12 months in patients with poorly controlled hypertension.
Absolute Event Rate: 20.8% vs 15.8%
p-value: p=0.318
Background: Poorly controlled hypertension is a great challenge to global public health. Incentive approaches, based on behavioral and economic concepts, may improve patients’ adherence to treatment. methods: We conducted a 2-arm randomized controlled trial to test whether financial incentives can help patients with poorly controlled hypertension in China reduce their blood pressure (BP). Participants were randomized 1:1 to the control and intervention groups. All participants received WeChat-based standard education and support for hypertension management. The intervention group received financial incentives, including process- and outcome-based incentives. Results: No statistically significant differences in BP reduction and hypertension control rates were found between the two groups from baseline to 12-month follow-up. Mean systolic BP decreased from 158.7 to 149.8 mm Hg in the intervention group and 159.7 to 149.5 mm Hg in the control group ( P =0.639). Mean diastolic BP decreased from 93.7 to 86.6 mm Hg in the intervention group and 93.9 to 86.3 mm Hg in the control group ( P =0.667). Hypertension control rates in the intervention and control groups were 20.8% and 15.8%, respectively ( P =0.318). Medication adherence was 84.2% in the intervention group and 86.2% in the control group ( P =0.705). Conclusions: Financial incentives were effective in the short term for BP control, but a sustained effect of incentive-based BP control was not identified beyond 3 months of intervention. Future studies that focus on identifying the appropriate amount and structure of financial incentives for BP control are warranted. Registration: URL: www.isrctn.org ; Unique identifier: ISRCTN13467677.
Zheng et al. (Wed,) conducted a rct in Poorly controlled hypertension. Financial incentives (process- and outcome-based) vs. WeChat-based standard education and support was evaluated on Hypertension control rate at 12 months (p=0.318). Financial incentives did not significantly improve hypertension control rates at 12 months compared to standard education alone (20.8% vs 15.8%, P=0.318).