Tomislav Badel, Ivana Savić Pavičin, Krešimir Bašić, Vanja Bašić Kes
SOCIOECONOMIC INFLUENCE OF TOBACCO USE AND DENTAL CARIES EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT MALE CROATIAN POPULATIONS
Acta clinica Croatica
explore provision selfmanagement support chronicallyill patients resourcelimited settings contributes patient empowerment chronic care concurrent descriptive mixed methods research survey 140 patients chronic conditions administered four timepoints 12 months conducted 14 interviews four focusgroup discussions patients n 31 13 healthcare provider interviews observations four patientsupport group meetings data collected april 2016 may 2017 rural malawi qualitative data analysed using thematic approach descriptive statistical analysis performed survey data healthcare professionals facilitated patient empowerment health education although literacy levels environmental factors affected selfmanagement guidance information exchanged patientprovider interactions varied discussions centred around medical aspects health promoting behaviour less 40 survey patients prepared questions prior clinic consultations health education often unstructured delegated nonphysician providers mostly untrained chronic care patients accessed psychosocial support volunteerled community homebased care programmes hiv supportgroups regularly interacted peers practical skills exchanged supportive environment reinforcing patients selfmangement competence proactiveness health care optimal selfmanagement reforms interpersonal organizational level needed including mutual patientprovider collaboration diversifying access selfmanagement support resources restructuring patient supportgroups cater diverse chronic conditions study provides insights framing selfmanagement support empowerment patients longterm care subsaharan africa lessons drawn could feed designing delivering responsive chronic care interventions