Submission ID 118309
| Issue/Objective | Sub-Saharan Africa faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases, yet patients' psychological and social needs are often overlooked due to a focus on communicable diseases. This study addresses that gap.This review explores the challenges and coping strategies of patients living with NCDs and how the health system can be better adjusted to meet their needs. |
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| Methodology/Approach | This was a cross-sectional qualitative case study in a peri-urban district in Southern Ghana. It analyzed the experiences, perspectives, challenges, and coping strategies of people living with hypertension and diabetes, and how the health system can better respond to their needs. Data collection mainly involved in-depth interviews with (n=19) respondents. They included patients living with hypertension (n=12), diabetes (n=1), both conditions(n=2), and healthcare workers (n=7) who delivered primary health care to these patients. Interviews were analyzed with NVIVO 14 software. |
| Results | Patients living with hypertension and or diabetes experience emotional challenges (frustration, fear, and sadness) and psychological difficulties (stress and anxiety) associated with living with and managing their condition. Many are breadwinners or sometimes unemployed and face the challenges of financially supporting their families while dealing with lifestyle changes and care costs. Structured social support within the community is generally unavailable, and patients rely informally on friends, family, neighbors, or religion to access healthcare services and cope with anxiety, stress, and sadness. Although the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) reduces the financial burden by covering the cost of antihypertensive medications, implementation challenges reduce its effectiveness. The consequences of these challenges of living with these NCDs are treatment non-adherence, worsening of symptoms, and reduced quality of life. Community social support, such as hypertension support groups, addressing and enabling navigation of the implementation barriers in the NHIS, integration of mental health screening and support, and regular counseling services are all interventions that can potentially make a significant difference to primary care and outcomes for people living with NCDs. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Living with NCDs in a resource-constrained setting creates social, financial, and emotional vulnerability. It is important for public health policies and programs to be designed to adequately support patients in navigating through the challenges of living with hypertension and diabetes. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Kezia Amarteyfio Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Nhyira Adjei-Banuah Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Nana Efua Afun Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Abdul-Basit Abdul-Samed Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Irene Agyepong Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Linda Yevoo Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons |
