By David Ndirangu
A chronic disease is a health condition that lasts a year or longer. It requires ongoing medical attention and can affect the patient’s activities of daily living such as eating, drinking, bathing and movement. Most chronic diseases can only be managed but not cured.
The disease can have a significant effect on the patient’s life. It can result in severe complications such as impaired physical and mental health, disability and premature deaths thus the need to effectively manage the disease.
Research has shown that the when the patient is actively involved in management of the chronic disease, it has a significant contribution to effectiveness of treatment. Management of the disease normally happens at home which includes correctly taking medications, monitoring of signs and symptoms and decisions of how to do daily activities including feeding, exercises and others.
This individualised approach to treatment helps in prevention of complications and improves care coordination. For instance failure to effectively manage diabetes can lead to complications such as heart disease, nerve damage, kidney problems and vision impairment.
In order to prevent such complications, the patient and/or care giver should ensure that; there are regular follow up and check-ups by the doctor for early detection of any complications, self-management of medication at home by the patient, lifestyle changes – diet, regular exercise, stop habits like smoking and taking alcohol.
Vaccination and preventive treatment of some common ailments like flu and pneumonia also help in preventing emergence of complications. The patient and/or caregiver should embark on self-education to learn as much as they can about the chronic disease affecting the patient.
Most chronic diseases require medication and other therapeutic options like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychotherapy and others. There is therefore need for coordinating the care from the different health practitioners which can be satisfactorily done by the regular doctor. The patient and the caregiver have a critical role of sharing information on different treatments with the providers for efficient care coordination.
In view of the above, it is clear that the patient or his caregiver should be the primary manager of the chronic disease guided by the doctor or other medical practitioner. They should work as partners in developing strategies of how the patient would be able to reduce physical, psychological, social and economic consequences of the disease. There is need to educate the patient and caregivers on self-regulation, observation of signs and symptoms, making correct judgements and reacting realistically and appropriately to prevailing situations.
In the absence of a health practitioner, it is the patient or caregiver who will determine what to do to prevent attacks or deterioration of the disease symptoms. It is imperative to note that patient education is not just a matter of passing information about the disease to the patient but should enable the patients and caregivers to make sensible judgements and feel confident to make appropriate decisions. They should also be trained on the correct use of necessary tools such as the glucometer for diabetic patients and blood pressure monitor for hypertensive cases.
David Ndirangu Bsc. International Business Administration (USIU- A) CPA (K) Business Management Consultant and Author of the book; This is DAVE. Email: ndirangudavid2023@gmail.com
Mt Kenya Times