The outpatient management of hypertension at two Sierra Leonean health centres: A mixed-method investigation of follow-up compliance and patient-reported barriers to care
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
| Field | Value | |
| Title | The outpatient management of hypertension at two Sierra Leonean health centres: A mixed-method investigation of follow-up compliance and patient-reported barriers to care | |
| Creator | Herskind, Jenna Zelasko, Jon Bacher, Karlin Holmes, David | |
| Description | Background: Sub-Saharan Africa faces an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. In particular, hypertension and its therapeutic control present a challenge and opportunity for health practitioners and health systems within the region.Aim: This study sought to assess an initiative conducted by two health clinics to begin treatment of hypertension amongst their patient populations by reviewing medication possession rates and documenting patient-reported barriers to care in the provision of chronic hypertension management.Setting: Two private, outpatient health clinics in Sierra Leone recently beginning hypertension management initiatives.Methods: A retrospective chart review identified 487 records of patients with diagnosed hypertension and assessed for medication adherence through calculation of medication possession ratios from pharmacy refill data. Surveys were conducted on a convenience sample of 68 patients of the hypertension treatment programme to discern patient-reported barriers of care.Results: Medication possession rates were found to be less than 40% in 82% (399/487) of patients, between 40% and 79% in 12% (60/487) of patients and 80% or greater in 6% (28/487) of patients. In surveys of individuals being treated by the programme, patients were most likely to cite transportation (81%, 55/68), financial burden (69%, 47/68) and schedule conflicts with work or other prior commitments (25%, 17/68) as barriers to care.Conclusions: In this newly instituted outpatient hypertensive management initiative, 82% of patients had medication possession ratios under 40%, which is likely to impact the clinical effectiveness of the initiative. The most frequent patient-reported barriers to care in surveys included transportation, financial burden and schedule conflicts. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2020-06-17 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/phcfm.v12i1.2222 | |
| Source | African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine; Vol 12, No 1 (2020); 7 pages 2071-2936 2071-2928 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2222/3937
https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2222/3936
https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2222/3938
https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfm/article/view/2222/3935
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