Social Support for Self-Care: Patient Strategies for Managing Diabetes and Hypertension in Rural Uganda.
Journal
Annals of global health
ISSN: 2214-9996
Titre abrégé: Ann Glob Health
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101620864
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2021
2021
Historique:
entrez:
30
8
2021
pubmed:
31
8
2021
medline:
1
10
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Low-income countries suffer a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Self-care practices are crucial for successfully managing NCDs to prevent complications. However, little is known about how patients practice self-care in resource-limited settings. We sought to understand self-care efforts and their facilitators among patients with diabetes and hypertension in rural Uganda. Between April and June 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study among adult patients from outpatient NCD clinics at three health facilities in Uganda. We conducted in-depth interviews exploring self-care practices for hypertension and/or diabetes and used content analysis to identify emergent themes. Nineteen patients participated. Patients said they preferred conventional medicines as their first resort, but often used traditional medicines to mitigate the impact of inconsistent access to prescribed medicines or as a supplement to those medicines. Patients adopted a wide range of vernacular practices to supplement treatment or replace unavailable diagnostic tests, such as tasting urine to gauge blood-sugar level. Finally, patients sought and received both instrumental and emotional support for self-care activities from networks of family and peers. Patients saw their children as their most reliable source of support facilitating self-care, especially as a source of money for medicines, transport and home necessities. Patients valued conventional medicines but engaged in varied self-care practices. They depended upon networks of social support from family and peers to facilitate self-care. Interventions to improve self-care may be more effective if they improve access to prescribed medicines and engage or enhance patients' social support networks.
Sections du résumé
Background
Low-income countries suffer a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Self-care practices are crucial for successfully managing NCDs to prevent complications. However, little is known about how patients practice self-care in resource-limited settings.
Objective
We sought to understand self-care efforts and their facilitators among patients with diabetes and hypertension in rural Uganda.
Methods
Between April and June 2019, we conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study among adult patients from outpatient NCD clinics at three health facilities in Uganda. We conducted in-depth interviews exploring self-care practices for hypertension and/or diabetes and used content analysis to identify emergent themes.
Results
Nineteen patients participated. Patients said they preferred conventional medicines as their first resort, but often used traditional medicines to mitigate the impact of inconsistent access to prescribed medicines or as a supplement to those medicines. Patients adopted a wide range of vernacular practices to supplement treatment or replace unavailable diagnostic tests, such as tasting urine to gauge blood-sugar level. Finally, patients sought and received both instrumental and emotional support for self-care activities from networks of family and peers. Patients saw their children as their most reliable source of support facilitating self-care, especially as a source of money for medicines, transport and home necessities.
Conclusion
Patients valued conventional medicines but engaged in varied self-care practices. They depended upon networks of social support from family and peers to facilitate self-care. Interventions to improve self-care may be more effective if they improve access to prescribed medicines and engage or enhance patients' social support networks.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34458110
doi: 10.5334/aogh.3308
pmc: PMC8378074
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
86Subventions
Organisme : NCATS NIH HHS
ID : UL1 TR001863
Pays : United States
Organisme : FIC NIH HHS
ID : D43 TW009607
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s).
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors have no competing interests to declare.
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