Needs of Nursing for Prevention and Management of Non- Communicable Diseases in Primary Care Settings

Abstract

This study aims to describe the needs of nursing for NCDs as described by patients with NCDs, healthcare providers (HP) and hospital accreditation (HA) surveyors in primary care settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted in five Thai Health Promoting Hospitals (THPH). Participants included 385 patients with NCDs, 21 HP, and 10 HA surveyors. Data were collected using questionnaires and medical records were then analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Mean age of patients, HP, and HA surveyors were 63.9 ± 10.7, 39.3 ± 12.5, and 49.9 ± 12.2 years, respectively. Most of the patients were female (72.2%) and had at least 2 diseases (73.4%). More than half of the patients were overweight or obese, had excessive waist circumference and an average systolic blood pressure higher than normal. The highest need of nursing as described by patients was emergency care, similarly to all HP's needs, while the highest need of nursing as described by HA surveyors was human resources. The patients' need of emergency care includes contact with HP, knowledge of emergency complications, basic emergency response skills, and follow up health status, while the HP's needs include referral system in emergency care, basic emergency response skills, and knowledge and skill of emergency management. In addition, the human resources include knowledge and skills for NCDs in primary care and in the community, and an assessment of medical equipment. CONCLUSION: Results suggested that HP, including nurses, should increase knowledge and skills in emergency care for patients with NCDs in primary care settings.