Defining an enabling environment for those with chronic disease: an integrative review

BACKGROUND

Health policies are currently being implemented to cope with the 37% of those affected by chronic disease and 63% of deaths worldwide. Among the proposals, there is accelerating support for greater autonomy for patients, which incorporates several concepts, including empowerment. To achieve this, develop an environment to increase an individual's capacity for action seems to be a fundamental step. The aim of this study is to characterize an enabling environment for patients in the context of chronic disease management.

METHODS

An integrative review design was applied. Medline, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant literature published between 2009 and 2019. Overall, the review process was guided by the PRISMA 2020 checklist. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool for quality evaluation was used.

RESULTS

A total of 40 articles were analyzed, divided into 18 quantitative studies, 11 qualitative studies, two mixed studies, seven expert opinions, one theory and one conference report. The following characteristics defining an enabling environment were taken from the literature relating to those with a chronic condition: Needs assessment-adaptation of responses, supporting "take care", involvement in support, knowledge improvement, engagement with professionals, use of information and communication technologies, and organization of care. Beyond that, the interactions highlighted between these seven categories characterize an enabling environment.

CONCLUSION

This review specifies the essential elements of an enabling environment for patients with chronic conditions. It encompasses the partnership between the healthcare professional, such as the advanced practice nurse, and the individual for whom interventions and care strategies must be devised.

[Therapeutic patient education practices in Ivory Cost: investigation among health professionals]

INTRODUCTION

Patient education is an important component in the management and monitoring of chronic diseases. It plays an important role in the decline of the disease severity, mortality and socioeconomic burden and the complications of these chronic diseases. In Côte d’Ivoire, there are few studies to evaluate the reality of this activity.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the practice of patient education in Ivory Coast.

METHOD

This qualitative study has been carried out by means of semi-structured interviews with 24 healthcare professionals including 14 health managers for individual interviews and 10 care providers for focus group discussion.

RESULTS

There are various representations of therapeutic patient education among health professionals. There was no real distinction between patient education and the broader concept of health education. Absence of national patient education policy, the lack of training in TPE and lack of experience of educational practice lead health professionals to realize an unstructured educational activity.

CONCLUSION

These results show the need for Côte d’Ivoire to have a national policy of patient education to educate patients in accordance with international recommendations.