Kemri-Wellcome Trust Research Programme: Examining the economic burden, experiences and coping strategies for patients with hypertension in Kenya

The growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has been identified as one of the leading threats to economic growth. Mortality and morbidity due to NCDs result in significant economic impact on households, health systems and societies through draining of household incomes, straining of health system resources, and losses in income, productivity and capital formation. To galvanize support for and inform responses to tackling NCDs, evidence on the economic burden, patient experiences with the health system and coping strategies for these illnesses is needed. In Kenya, this evidence is limited. My proposed study will fill this knowledge gap. I intend to use a mixed- methods approach; employing both quantitative economic methods, and qualitative inquiry through in-depth interviews (IDIs) to examine the economic burden of hypertension to Kenyan households and to assess the experiences and coping strategies for individuals diagnosed with hypertension. To estimate the economic burden of hypertension to households, the study will employ the cost- of-illness approach. To explore the experiences and coping strategies of hypertensive patients, I will collect narratives through in-depth non- structured interviews with participants drawn from different socio-economic quintiles. Evidence from this study will inform health system policy and practice in Kenya and similar settings.

Programme: International Masters Fellowship

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