Network characteristics of a referral system for patients with hypertension in Western Kenya: results from the strengthening Referral networks for management of Hypertension across the health system (STRENGTHS) study

Abstract

Background: Health system approaches to improve hypertension control require an efective referral network. A national referral strategy exists in Kenya; however, a number of barriers to referral completion persist. This paper is a baseline assessment of a hypertension referral network for a cluster-randomized trial to improve hypertension control and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Methods: We used sociometric network analysis to understand the relationships between providers within a network of nine geographic clusters in western Kenya, including primary, secondary, and tertiary care facilities. We conducted a survey which asked providers to nominate individuals and facilities to which they refer patients with controlled and uncontrolled hypertension. Degree centrality measures were used to identify providers in prominent positions, while mixed-efect regression models were used to determine provider characteristics related to the likeli hood of receiving referrals. We calculated core-periphery correlation scores (CP) for each cluster (ideal CP score=1.0). Results: We surveyed 152 providers (physicians, nurses, medical ofcers, and clinical ofcers), range 10–36 per clus ter. Median number of hypertensive patients seen per month was 40 (range 1–600). While 97% of providers reported referring patients up to a more specialized health facility, only 55% reported referring down to lower level facilities. Individuals were more likely to receive a referral if they had higher level of training, worked at a higher level facil ity, were male, or had more job experience. CP scores for provider networks range from 0.335 to 0.693, while the CP scores for the facility networks range from 0.707 to 0.949