Do Integrated Health Care Interventions Improve Well-Being Among Older Adults with Hypertension? Evidence from Rural China

Abstract

As a prevalent chronic disease later in life, hypertension affects physical health in older adults. In this paper, we investigated whether an integrated health care intervention improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and well-being among older patients with hypertension in rural China. An intervention focused on older patients with hypertension (395 participants in the intervention group and 394 in the control group) was implemented. In the intervention townships, the health care professionals from all three levels of health care institution work as a team and receive skills training and regular meeting, etc. Patients in the intervention group received health education and periodical follow-up interviews, etc. Patients’ data including the blood presure, HRQoL and sociodemographic characteristics were collected at baseline (2016) and follow-up (2017). Symptom control and patient’s compliance with healthy lifestyle were self-reported by participants using questionnaires. After the intervention, a decrease was observed in the number of patients reporting problems, such as anxiety or depression. About 31.4% of patients in the intervention group perceived that they had greater control over their physical conditions during the study. Although patients’ health awareness and knowledge improved, their rate of compliance with a healthy lifestyle was low.