Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Feb 9;24(1):186. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-10688-8.
BACKGROUND: For adults living with HIV (ALHIV) and comorbidities, access to comprehensive healthcare services is crucial to achieving optimal health outcomes. This study aims to describe lived experiences, challenges, and coping strategies for accessing care for hypertension and/or diabetes (HTN/DM) in HIV care and treatment clinics (CTCs) and other healthcare settings. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a qualitative study that employed a phenomenological approach between January and April 2022 using a semi-structured interview guide in six HIV CTCs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We purposively recruited 33 ALHIV with HTN (n = 16), DM (n = 10), and both (n = 7). Thematic content analysis was guided by the 5As framework of access to care. FINDINGS: The majority of the participants were females, between the ages of 54-73, and were recruited from regional referral hospitals. HIV CTCs at regional referral hospitals had more consistent provision of HTN screening services compared to those from district hospitals and health centers. Participants sought HTN/DM care at non-CTC health facilities due to the limited availability of such services at HIV CTCs. However, healthcare delivery for these conditions was perceived as unaccommodating and poorly coordinated. The need to attend multiple clinic appointments for the management of HTN/DM in addition to HIV care was perceived as frustrating, time-consuming, and financially burdensome. High costs of care and transportation, limited understanding of comorbidities, and the perceived complexity of HTN/DM care contributed to HTN/DM treatment discontinuity. As a means of coping, participants frequently monitored their own HTN/DM symptoms at home and utilized community pharmacies and dispensaries near their residences to check blood pressure and sugar levels and obtain medications. Participants expressed a preference for non-pharmaceutical approaches to comorbidity management such as lifestyle modification (preferred by young participants) and herbal therapies (preferred by older participants) because of concerns about side effects and perceived ineffectiveness of HTN/DM medications. Participants also preferred integrated care and focused patient education on multimorbidity management at HIV CTCs. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight significant barriers to accessing HTN/DM care among ALHIV, mostly related to affordability, availability, and accessibility. Integration of NCD care into HIV CTCs, could greatly improve ALHIV health access and outcomes and align with patient preference.
背景:对于患有艾滋病病毒 (HIV) 合并症的成年人 (ALHIV) 来说,获得全面的医疗保健服务对于实现最佳健康结果至关重要。本研究旨在描述在 HIV 护理和治疗诊所 (CTC) 及其他医疗保健环境中,高血压和/或糖尿病 (HTN/DM) 的护理获取方面的体验、挑战和应对策略。
方法:我们于 2022 年 1 月至 4 月在坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆的六个 HIV CTC 中开展了一项定性研究,采用现象学方法,并使用半结构化访谈指南。我们有目的地招募了 33 名患有 HTN(16 名)、DM(10 名)或两者均有的 ALHIV。主题内容分析遵循获得医疗服务的 5A 框架。
结果:大多数参与者为女性,年龄在 54-73 岁之间,来自区域转诊医院。与来自区医院和卫生中心的 CTC 相比,区域转诊医院的 HIV CTC 更能持续提供 HTN 筛查服务。参与者因 HIV CTC 中此类服务有限而选择在非 CTC 医疗设施中寻求 HTN/DM 护理。然而,这些疾病的医疗服务被认为是不周到的,协调也很差。除了 HIV 护理之外,还需要多次预约来管理 HTN/DM,参与者认为这既令人沮丧又费时费力,还会带来经济负担。治疗费用高、交通不便、对合并症的理解有限以及对 HTN/DM 护理复杂性的认知,这些因素都导致了 HTN/DM 治疗的中断。作为一种应对策略,参与者经常在家中监测自己的 HTN/DM 症状,并利用住所附近的社区药店和药房来检查血压和血糖水平并获取药物。参与者表示,他们更喜欢非药物方法来管理合并症,如生活方式的改变(年轻参与者更喜欢)和草药疗法(老年参与者更喜欢),因为他们担心药物的副作用和对 HTN/DM 药物的有效性的认知。参与者还希望在 HIV CTC 中提供综合护理,并关注多疾病管理的患者教育。
结论:我们的研究结果强调了 ALHIV 获得 HTN/DM 护理的主要障碍,主要与可负担性、可及性和可用性有关。将非传染性疾病护理纳入 HIV CTC 可以极大地改善 ALHIV 的健康获取和结果,并符合患者的偏好。
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