Enhancing knowledge of hypertension among general practitioners in Pakistan through a Train-The-Trainer initiative

Background: Hypertension (HTN) affects over a billion people worldwide, with most cases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where awareness and control remain low. In Pakistan, general practitioners (GPs) are usually the initial contact for hypertensive patients. Through the Train the Trainer (TTT) initiative, a group of consultant cardiologists were trained as master trainers to conduct training for GPs across Pakistan. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the TTT initiative regarding knowledge of GPs about the diagnosis and management of HTN. Methods: This study included 540 GPs from all over Pakistan. Participants attended HTN training workshops run by Master Trainers under the TTT model and completed a structured online questionnaire in relation to knowledge of HTN before and 1–3 months after training. Knowledge scores were derived from correct responses for 19 items. Results: Pre-training GPs demonstrated low HTN knowledge scores with a median of 26.3 [IQR: 15.8–36.8] and 92% scoring less than 50. In contrast, post-training medians increased significantly to 42.1 [IQR: 31.6–63.2], with 38.5% of GPs achieving moderate or high knowledge scores ≥50 (p