CHAP-P (Philippines)

The Community Health Assessment Program in the Philippines (CHAP-P) is an adaptation of the CHAP model intended for low and middle income countries (LMICs), focused on assessing hypertension, diabetes risk, and cardiovascular risk factors. Like the Canadian-developed CHAP, CHAP-P is community-based, primary care-centred, volunteer-led, and free to participants. A chronic condition risk assessment and blood pressure monitoring program, it is combined with health education sessions and linkages/referrals to community and medical resources for community-dwelling adults aged 40 or older.

A 5-year, mixed-methods, multi-stage research project is being undertaken to evaluate the program. Adaptation groundwork which identified barriers and facilitators to program implementation was completed through an extensive, 1-year qualitative study including consultations with varied local stakeholders and an international group of researchers. This was followed by a series of studies to select optimal methods for use in the local context, culminating in a community cluster randomized controlled trial.

CHAP-P was based on a formal partnership between universities in the Philippines (Ateneo de Zamboanga University School of Medicine) and Canada (McMaster University Department of Family Medicine) with guidance from a Project Advisory Committee composed of collaborators and researchers from Canada, the Philippines, Peru, Thailand, Tunisia, and the UK. The program’s low cost, implementability, effective use of volunteers, and focus on population-based health promotion and disease prevention may make it particularly suited to LMICs. Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines was chosen as the first program site as it exemplifies underprivileged regions in many LMICs in terms of geographical isolation, poverty, and scarce health resources where low-cost, community-owned health programs such as CHAP-P are urgently needed.

PERSONNEL

Nominated Principal Investigators
• Gina Agarwal, MBBS, PhD, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Canada
• Fortunato Cristobal, MD, MPH, MHPEd, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Philippines

Principal Investigators
• Ricardo Angeles, MD, MPH, MHPEd, PhD, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Canada
• Lisa Dolovich, PharmD, MSc, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Canada
• Janusz Kaczorowski, PhD, Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada

Co-Investigators
• Rodelin M. Agbulos, MD, MPH, Zamboanga City Health Office
• Rosemarie Arciaga, MD, MS Epid, Zamboanga Medical Research Foundation
• Jerome Barrera, MD, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
• Elgie Gregorio, MD, MPH, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
• Dale Guenter, MD, MHSc, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University
• Servando Halili Jr., PhD, Graduate School, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
• Norvie Jalani, MD, MPH, Department of Health, Zamboanga Peninsula
• Daria O’Reilly (Health Economics), PhD, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact , McMaster University
• John F. Smith, PhD, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
• Karl Stobbe, MD, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University
• Lehana Thabane (Statistics), PhD, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact,, McMaster University
• Sheldon Tobe, MD, MScCH, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University

Project Advisory Group
• Celina Gorre, MPH, MPA, Global Alliance for Chronic Disease (GACD) International Secretariat, London United Kingdom
• Faiçal Jarraya, MD, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
• Nusaraporn Kessomboon, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
• Pattapong Kessomboon, MD, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
• Germán Málaga, MD, MSc, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
• Lynda Redwood-Campbell, MD, MPH, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Canada

Staff
• Phillip John Acapulco, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Research Assistant, 2017 – Present
• Arvie G Arcillas, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Community Coordinator, 2015 – Present
• Floro Dave Arnuco, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Program Manager, 2016- Present
• Jessica Gaber, MSW, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University – Research Coordinator, 2017 – Present
• Maria Carlotta Lim, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Data Manager, 2015 – Present
• Rowayne Cecil Mandi, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Data Manager, 2015 – Present
• Kristian Tan, School of Medicine, Ateneo de Zamboanga University – Research Assistant, 2017 – Present