Abstract
The epidemiologic transition and double disease burden from chronic infections and Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide requires re-engineering of healthcare delivery systems. Healthcare workers (HCWs) need to adapt to new integrated disease management approaches and change from current disease-specific management. The study aimed to determine HCWs knowledge, capacity and skills for management of NCDs among HIV patients and their attitudes towards integrated HIV/NCDs disease management approaches for future clinical practice. Descriptive cross-sectional survey among HCWs attending to HIV patients at selected government facilities. One hundred out of 105 responses were analysed. Only 6% could fully define NCDs. Awareness levels of NCDs were high: Diabetes and hypertension 98%; cancer 96%; cardiovascular diseases 86%. However, 11.8% and 58% classified HIV and malaria respectively as NCDs. Most respondents (88%) believe that integrating HIV/NCDs care would be good use of resources while 62% disagreed with current separate facility management of HIV patients with NCDs. Over 60% routinely screened HIV patients for NCDs risk factors: Smoking (87.2%), alcohol (90.8%), diet (84.9%) and physical activity (73.5%). There were gaps in detailed knowledge on NCDs, but positive attitude towards routine primary care integrated HIV/NCDs management, showing likely support for implementation of such policy.
Highlights
The epidemiologic transition and double disease burden from chronic infections and Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide requires re-engineering of healthcare delivery systems
We conclude that majority of Healthcare workers (HCWs) do not prefer the current use of separate facilities to provide care to HIV patients with co-existent NCDs
Most of the respondents overall don’t share the view that integration of routine HIV management with NCDs would overburden them with work; and majority agree that the integration would optimise resources utilisation
Summary
The epidemiologic transition and double disease burden from chronic infections and Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide requires re-engineering of healthcare delivery systems. Objectives: The study aimed to determine HCWs knowledge, capacity and skills for management of NCDs among HIV patients and their attitudes towards integrated HIV/NCDs disease management approaches for future clinical practice. Integrated management of HIV/NCDs: knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health care workers in Gaborone, Botswana. African Health Sciences Vol 19 Issue 3, September, 2019 for females[4] This increase was attributed to improved access to life saving HIV treatment. With the advent of High Active Anti-Retroviral Treatment (HAART), HIV has become a chronic medical condition with those on treatment living longer and developing other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) some of which are related to the side effects of antiretroviral medications and some due to the chronic HIV infection itself[5,6,7]
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