Teaching Heart Failure Self-Care to Patients in Rwanda
Tests an education program on self-care for people with heart failure in Rwanda.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Heart Failure Self Care Education in Rwanda
Key facts
- Where
- Kigali, RwandaSee the site
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for people living with heart failure who are followed at non-communicable disease clinics in three district hospitals in Rwanda: Butaro, Kirehe and Rwinkwavu.
- Age
- 10 years and older
- Sex
- All sexes
- Disease stage
- Heart failure, followed at a non-communicable disease clinic in one of the three district hospitals
Main reasons for not taking part
- Cannot give informed consent
Read by machine on 13 November 2026.
Where in Rwanda
- District Hospitals Butaro, Kirehe, and RwinkwavuKigali, RwandaContact: Gene F Kwan, MD MPHNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- Boston Medical Center
- Trial code
- NCT07722468
- Record updated
- 30 September 2026
- Original description
In Rwanda, patients with heart failure may have low health education about their condition. Heart failure care requires active patient involvement. Self-care of heart failure requires healthy lifestyle, attention to symptoms, proper action when new symptoms develop. However, many patients may choose to stop taking medications when they are feeling well, or disregard new symptoms when they develop and delaying care until their condition is more severe. Educating patients in self-care for heart failure can be achieved by clinical staff with the support of patient handbooks or flip books. Self-care education materials have been developed by the research team in Haiti and have been adapted for Rwanda.Read full original descriptionShow less
Heart Failure Self Care Education in Rwanda
In Rwanda, patients with heart failure may have low health education about their condition. Heart failure care requires active patient involvement. Self-care of heart failure requires healthy lifestyle, attention to symptoms, proper action when new symptoms develop. However, many patients may choose to stop taking medications when they are feeling well, or disregard new symptoms when they develop and delaying care until their condition is more severe. Educating patients in self-care for heart failure can be achieved by clinical staff with the support of patient handbooks or flip books. Self-care education materials have been developed by the research team in Haiti and have been adapted for Rwanda.
This study will use a cluster, stepped wedge design. Patients are already in clusters based on their health facility. The order of implementation will be randomized by the cluster. The primary outcome is heart failure knowledge assessed pre- and post-intervention through a structured survey.
Inclusion: Participants living with heart failure followed at non-communicable disease clinics across three district hospitals (DHs) i- Butaro, Kirehe, and Rwinkwavu; Able to provide informed consent; for minors, able to provide assent with parent or caregiver consent; Pediatric participants must be aged ≥10 years; consent will be obtained from a parent or caregiver, with age-appropriate assent from the child.
Exclusion: Unable to provide informed consent.