Abstract 10078: Facilitators and Barriers to Chronic Care Among Patients with Heart Failure in Rural Haiti: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalizations in rural Haiti. However, few patients hospitalized for HF return for outpatient care. The factors that contribute to chronic HF care access are poorly understood. Objective: To investigate the facilitators and barriers to accessing care for chronic HF from the patients’ perspectives. Methods: We conducted three group interviews and one individual interview with thirteen patients with HF. We recruited patients after discharge from a non-governmental organization-supported academic hospital in rural Haiti. We employed thematic analysis using emergent coding and categorized themes using the socioecological model. Results: Facilitators of chronic care included participants’ knowledge about the importance of HF treatment and engagement with health systems to manage symptoms. Strong social support networks helped participants access clinic visits. Participants reported low cost of care at this subsidized hospital, good medication accessibility, and trust in the healthcare system. Participants expressed the strong spiritual belief that the healthcare system is an extension of God’s influence. Barriers to chronic care included participants' misconceptions about adherence to medications and the need to take HF medications with food. Lack of social support prevented clinic access, and non-healthcare costs associated with clinic visits were prohibitive. Participants expressed low satisfaction regarding the clinic experience. Another barrier to healthcare was the belief that heart disease caused by supernatural spirits is incurable. Conclusions: We identified several facilitators and barriers to chronic HF care with implications for HF management in rural Haiti. Future interventions to improve chronic HF care should address misconceptions and foster patient support systems for visit and medication adherence. Leveraging local spiritual beliefs may promote care engagement.