Abstract

Hypertension is a major public health concern in Malawi, exacerbated by weak healthcare infrastructure, limited awareness, and reliance on traditional medicine. This qualitative baseline study is part of a larger Hypertension Intervention Control Study conducted in rural Malawi. It involved focus group discussions (n=48) and key informant interviews (KIIs) across two communities—Kapudzama (treatment) and Kapinga (control)—in Lilongwe District. Guided by the CARROT framework, content analysis revealed major themes such as knowledge gaps, misconceptions (e.g., misidentification of symptoms), reliance on traditional remedies, and barriers including mistrust of medication and poor access to health facilities. Notably, young participants showed limited understanding, often confusing hypertension with malaria or diabetes. Findings underscore the urgent need for sustained, community-driven interventions focusing on health literacy, accessible healthcare services, and equitable resource distribution. Follow-up evaluations will assess intervention impact.

The upcoming midline and endline evaluations will assess the impact of integrated interventions informed by these findings.

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