Efficacy of Nurse-Led Hypertension Management Programs in Urban Slum Settlements

African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery | Vol. 14, No. 9, September 2026 | pp. 235–243

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJNM/000158

Original Research Article

Title: Efficacy of Nurse-Led Hypertension Management Programs in Urban Slum Settlements

Names of Authors: Chinedu K. Okafor¹, Sarah L. Tetteh²

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
²Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana

Abstract:
Hypertension remains a major contributor to cardiovascular morbidity in rapidly growing urban poor environments, where access to specialized medical clinics is severely constrained. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the efficacy of an optimized, nurse-led community hypertension management protocol within an urban informal settlement. A total of 180 hypertensive adults were enrolled and assigned to either a nurse-led intervention group (n = 90) receiving bi-weekly home-based blood pressure monitoring, behavioral modification counseling, and medication tracking, or a standard care control group (n = 90). The primary outcome measures were mean shifts in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels after a 6-month follow-up window. The statistical results demonstrated a significant mean reduction of -14.5 ± 3.2 mmHg in systolic pressure and -8.4 ± 2.1 mmHg in diastolic pressure within the nurse-led intervention cohort compared to flatlined markers in the control group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, therapeutic compliance metrics grew from 34.5% to 78.4% under continuous nurse surveillance. Systemic integration of decentralized nursing outreach clinics into informal urban settlements offers a highly effective, low-cost model to achieve blood pressure control and lower cardiovascular risks in marginalized demographics.

Keywords: Hypertension; Nurse-Led Interventions; Blood Pressure Control; Urban Slums; Behavioral Counseling; Medication Adherence.

Manuscript Timeline: Received July 22, 2026; Revised September 05, 2026; Accepted September 18, 2026; Published September 30, 2026.

Citation: Okafor, C. K., & Tetteh, S. L. (2026). Efficacy of Nurse-Led Hypertension Management Programs in Urban Slum Settlements. African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 14(9), 235–243. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJNM/000158

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