Figure 1.

Patient-Physician Partnership study design. The study uses a 2 by 2 factorial design to simultaneously study the effect of physician communication skills training and/or patient activation by community health workers (CHWs). All physicians, including those in the minimal intervention, receive a copy of hypertension treatment guidelines and are videotaped with a simulated patient before randomization. The patient intervention includes coaching by CHWs and a photonovel. CHW contacts are 20 minutes at enrollment, 2 weeks, 3,6,9, and 12 months. All patients, including those in the minimal intervention, receive monthly newsletters.