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A Qualitative Study of Patients’ Experiences, Enablers and Barriers of Rheumatic Heart Disease Care in Uganda Cover

A Qualitative Study of Patients’ Experiences, Enablers and Barriers of Rheumatic Heart Disease Care in Uganda

Global Heart
Volume 18 (2023): Issue 1
By: Hadija Nalubwama,  Jafesi Pulle,  Jenifer Atala,  Rachel Sarnacki,  Miriam Nakitto,  Rebecca Namara,  Andrea Beaton,  Rosemary Kansiime,  Rachel Mwima,  Emma Ndagire,  Emmy Okello and  David Watkins  
Open Access
|Feb 2023
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Table 1

Demographic characteristics of participants.

VARIABLEVALUE
Age (median, range)24.5 (11–55)
Female sex22 (64%)
Presence of CHF17 (47%)
Educational attainment
    Primary18 (50%)
    Secondary6 (17%)
    Tertiary12 (33%)
Occupation
    Unemployed15 (42%)
    Employed13 (36%)
    In school8 (22%)
Marital status
    Not married18 (50%)
    Married16 (44%)
    Widowed2 (6%)
Table 2

Summary of key enablers and barriers to RHD care at various levels of the socioecological model.

LEVELENABLERSBARRIERS
Individual

  • Positive attitude

  • Painful monthly injections

  • Long distances and high costs of travel

  • Other competing needs

  • Lack of encouragement to keep on medication

  • Depression

  • Desperation

Interpersonal and community

  • Supportive spouses

  • Social support from peers

  • Financial support

  • Poor family and social support

  • Stigma

  • Pressure to conform to societal norms

Structural (health system)

  • Stocking of medicines at nearby health centers

  • Good care practices by healthcare providers

  • High cost of RHD treatment

  • Unavailability of medicines and healthcare providers at public health facilities

  • Delays at the facilities

  • Inadequate information

  • Failure to access RHD services at nearby facilities

Figure 1

Data display matrix showing the relative frequency of themes by setting and district. Symbols indicate: – not noted in any transcripts; + noted in very few transcripts; ++ noted in significant number of transcripts; +++ noted in nearly all transcripts.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/gh.1181 | Journal eISSN: 2211-8179
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Language: English
Submitted on: Jun 21, 2022
Accepted on: Dec 16, 2022
Published on: Feb 23, 2023
Published by: Ubiquity Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
Keywords:
rheumatic fever,
rheumatic heart disease,
Uganda,
public health systems research

© 2023 Hadija Nalubwama, Jafesi Pulle, Jenifer Atala, Rachel Sarnacki, Miriam Nakitto, Rebecca Namara, Andrea Beaton, Rosemary Kansiime, Rachel Mwima, Emma Ndagire, Emmy Okello, David Watkins, published by Ubiquity Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 18 (2023): Issue 1
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