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Le Ho Thi QA, Pype P, Wens J, Nguyen Vu Quoc H, Derese A, Peersman W, Bui N, Nguyen Thi Thanh H, Nguyen Minh T. Continuity of primary care for type 2 diabetes and hypertension and its association with health outcomes and disease control: insights from Central Vietnam. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:34. [PMID: 38166740 PMCID: PMC10763071 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17522-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vietnam is undergoing a rapid epidemiological transition with a considerable burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially hypertension and diabetes (T2DM). Continuity of care (COC) is widely acknowledged as a benchmark for an efficient health system. This study aimed to determine the COC level for hypertension and T2DM within and across care levels and to investigate its associations with health outcomes and disease control. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted on 602 people with T2DM and/or hypertension managed in primary care settings. We utilized both the Nijmegen continuity of care questionnaire (NCQ) and the Bice - Boxerman continuity of care index (COCI) to comprehensively measure three domains of COC: interpersonal, informational, and management continuity. ANOVA, paired-sample t-test, and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed to examine the predictors of COC. RESULTS Mean values of COC indices were: NCQ: 3.59 and COCI: 0.77. The proportion of people with low NCQ levels was 68.8%, and that with low COCI levels was 47.3%. Primary care offered higher informational continuity than specialists (p < 0.01); management continuity was higher within the primary care team than between primary and specialist care (p < 0.001). Gender, living areas, hospital admission and emergency department encounters, frequency of health visits, disease duration, blood pressure and blood glucose levels, and disease control were demonstrated to be statistically associated with higher levels of COC. CONCLUSIONS Continuity of primary care is not sufficiently achieved for hypertension and diabetes mellitus in Vietnam. Strengthening robust primary care services, improving the collaboration between healthcare providers through multidisciplinary team-based care and integrated care approach, and promoting patient education programs and shared decision-making interventions are priorities to improve COC for chronic care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quynh-Anh Le Ho Thi
- Family Medicine Center, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam.
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Peter Pype
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Johan Wens
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Huy Nguyen Vu Quoc
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam
| | - Anselme Derese
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wim Peersman
- Research Group Social and Community Work, Odisee University of Applied Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nhon Bui
- Phu Vang District health center, Thua Thien Hue province, Hue, Vietnam
| | - Huyen Nguyen Thi Thanh
- Family Medicine Center, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam
- Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Tam Nguyen Minh
- Family Medicine Center, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue, Vietnam.
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Almalki ZS, Alahmari AK, Alajlan SAA, Alqahtani A, Alshehri AM, Alghamdi SA, Alanezi AA, Alawaji BK, Alanazi TA, Almutairi RA, Aldosari S, Ahmed N. Continuity of care in primary healthcare settings among patients with chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia. SAGE Open Med 2023; 11:20503121231208648. [PMID: 37915839 PMCID: PMC10617268 DOI: 10.1177/20503121231208648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Maintaining continuity of care is one of the most critical components of providing great care in primary health care. This study aimed to explore continuity of care and its predictors in primary healthcare settings among patients with chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia. Method Face-to-face cross-sectional interviews were conducted with patients with chronic diseases who had at least four visits to primary care facilities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between November 1, 2022 and March 3, 2023. We determined patients' continuity of care levels using the Bice-Boxerman continuity of care index. A Tobit regression model was used to determine the effects of several factors on the continuity of care index. Results The interviews were conducted with 193 respondents with chronic diseases of interest. The mean continuity of care index of the entire sample was 0.54. Those with asthma had the highest median continuity of care index at 0.75 (interquartile range, 0.62-0.75), whereas those diagnosed with thyroid disease had a much lower continuity of care index (0.47) (interquartile range, 0.3-0.62). Tobit regression model findings showed that employed respondents with poorer general health had a negative effect on continuity of care index levels. By contrast, a higher continuity of care index was significantly associated with elderly respondents, urban residents, and those diagnosed with dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, or asthma. Conclusions According to our findings, the continuity of care level in Saudi Arabia's primary healthcare setting is low. The data demonstrate how continuity of care varies among study group characteristics and that improving continuity of care among chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia is multifaceted and challenging, necessitating a coordinated and integrated healthcare delivery approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyad S Almalki
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah K Alahmari
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abdulhadi Alqahtani
- Clinical Research Specialist, Clinical Research Department, Research Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Alghamdi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel A Alanezi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basil K Alawaji
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tareq A Alanazi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rawan A Almutairi
- Collage of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saad Aldosari
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nehad Ahmed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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