Assessment of quality of care provided to adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus at public hospitals in Gamo Gofa zone, Southern Ethiopia: Facility based Cross-Sectional study.

PURPOSE

Proactive management of type 2 diabetes is important for restoring beta-cell function and improving sustained blood glucose control. Evidence on quality of diabetes care in Ethiopia is inadequate.

METHOD

Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess level of quality of care provided to adult type 2 diabetes patients at three public hospitals in Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

RESULTS

A total of 210 adult type 2 diabetes patients were included. The mean age of patients was 44.1 ± 9.94 years. Fifty-one (24.3%) of patients adhered to prescribed medicines. Sixty-seven (31.9%) patients could benefit from neuropathy screening and referral. Diabetes-specific evidence-based guidelines, operational plan to reduce overweight and obesity were not available. There was no periodic lipid profile, renal function and glycated haemoglobin testing. Sixty-three (30%) patients achieved fasting blood glucose (FBG) level. Only 41 (19.5%) achieved the recommended target value for composite intermediate outcomes. All three sub-components of quality care structure, process and outcome (SPO) were below the agreed minimum score and the quality of care provided to adult type 2 diabetes was poor. Only 41 (19.5%) achieved agreed quality indicator targets for type 2 diabetes (fasting blood glucose blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol).

CONCLUSION

The quality of care provided to adult type 2 diabetes patients was poor particularly in areas such as availability of evidence-based guidelines, operational plan to reduce obesity, monitoring of lipid profile and glycaemic control. Therefore, developing strategies for addressing structure, process and outcome-related gaps by involving all stakeholders is critical for improving the quality of care provided to these patients.