Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 26 No 5 (September/October 2015)

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CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 26, No 5, October/November 2015 20 AFRICA
hypertension, anaemia and atrial fibrillation, as well as increas-
ing disease awareness, may reduce the incidence and mortality
of HF in Tanzania
SHORT-MESSAGE SERVICES (SMS) AS AN EDUCA-
TIONAL TOOL USED DURING PREGNANCY: A LITERA-
TURE REVIEW
Lamont Kim*, Sliwa Karen1
*Soweto Cardiovascular Research Unit (SOCRU), Faculty of
Health Sciences, University of theWitwatersrand, Johannesburg,
South Africa; 1Hatter Institute,
University of Cape Town; SOCRU, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Background: In many low- and middle-income countries, access
to health information during pregnancy is very scarce. The rapid
adoption of mobile phones in these countries has created new
opportunities for disseminating health information.
Objective: This article aims to review the existing information
on the use of short-message services (SMS) as a feasible tool to
transmit health education information.
Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE and
Google scholar databases were searched for studies in which
mobile phone SMS were used to promote health education
during pregnancy. Studies of adult women from any setting who
received SMS health education messages during their pregnancy
were included, irrespective of study design.
Results: The analysis of results followed a narrative synthesis
approach, which is a textual approach of a synthesis of findings
from multiple studies. The synthesis was developed manually
based on the extraction of data. All studies demonstrated use
or interest in SMS technology to facilitate a health information
message. Gazmarian and colleagues (2013) assessed factors
related to the enrolment process and reception of health tips via
SMS in the USA. Cormick evaluated the attitude and willing-
ness of pregnant women to receive health educational material
via SMS in Argentina. In Zanzibar, the effect of SMS on skilled
delivery rates and access to emergency healthcare was assessed.
The effect SMS alerts had on hospital deliveries and SMS inter-
ventions had on facility use during pregnancy were assessed in
Rwanda. Lastly MiQuit assessed the effects of tailored educa-
tion through SMS on smoking cessation during pregnancy
compared to non-tailored information through leaflets.
Conclusion: This highlights the feasibility of utilising SMS tech-
nology to promote health education and promote behavioural
change.
LINGUISTIC UTILISATION FOR HYPERTENSION
HEALTH EDUCATION IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE, A
SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH EXPERIENCE
Mafutha Nokuthula*, Mogotlane Sophie
Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa;
Background: Health education is a means to empower patients
with hypertension if they are to participate in its management.
It is the cornerstone of patient management. Health education
is a learning experience in patients, which fosters motivation,
skills, and the confidence necessary to improve health and make
behavioural changes. Health education uses communication
processes such as individual discussions, and mass and group
media to reach target groups. There are 11 official languages
in South Africa, which pose a challenge to transmitting a clear
message to patients, especially when adding other non-South
African languages to the PHC.
Methods: The research design was quantitative, descriptive
and contextual in nature. The population/unit of analysis was
health promoters and pamphlets. The sampling method was
convenience. Data collection was done in 12 primary health
clinics using an audio voice recorder and a camera to capturer
pictures of posters that could not be taken away from the facil-
ity. Data analysis was done using quantitative content analysis
and descriptive statistics.
Results: The findings revealed that the following hypertension-
related words were commonly used by healthcare promoters
and also in pamphlets: blood pressure, headaches, salt, weight,
comply, stop smoking, and exercise. These words were used
without taking into consideration the literacy level of the
patients, or even their preferred language.
Conclusion: If self-care is the cornerstone for management
of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, health
education and printed materials should be context-specific, and
addressed in the language of the community and at the educa-
tional levels of the people in the area.
PREVALENCE, CORRELATES AND PROGNOSTIC
IMPLICATIONS OF ANAEMIA AND IRON DEFICIENCY
IN TANZANIAN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE: A
REPORT FROM THE TaHeF STUDY
Makubi Abel*1, Hage Camilla1, Lwakatare Johnson1, Mmbando
Bruno1, Kisenge Peter1, Lund Lars2, Ryden Lars2, Makani Julie 1
1Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania; 2Karolinska institute,
Sweden
Objective: To determine the prevalence, correlates and prognos-
tic implications of anaemia and iron deficiency (ID) in patients
with heart failure (HF) in Tanzania.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional and prospective, obser-
vational study carried out at the cardiovascular centre of the
Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The patients were 18 years of age or older with HF, defined
according to the Framingham criteria. The primary outcome
was anaemia and the secondary outcome was a composite of
hospitalisation for HF or all-cause mortality.
Results: A total of 401 HF patients were included (median age
56 years, interquartile range 41.67 years; 51% females). The
prevalence of anaemia was 57%. The overall prevalence of ID
was 49%, distributed as 69% vs 21% in subjects with and with-