Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda
Background: Early diagnosis of hypertension prevents a significant number of complications and premature deaths. In resource-variable settings, diagnosis may be limited by inadequate access to blood pressure (BP) machines. We sought to understand the availability, functionality and access of BP mach...
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doaj-723f9812923e469397cc0dfce4c9899c2021-02-11T10:05:24ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042021-01-01631e1e610.4102/safp.v63i1.51184106Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, UgandaInnocent K. Besigye0Vicent Okuuny1Mari Armstrong-Hough2Anne R. Katahoire3Nelson K. Sewankambo4Robert Mash5Achilles Katamba6Department of Family Medicine, Makerere University, KampalaDepartment of Family Medicine, Makerere University, KampalaSchool of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, United States of AmericaDepartment of Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University, KampalaDepartment of Medicine, Makerere University, KampalaDepartment of Family and Emergency Medicine, Stellenbosch University, Cape TownDepartment of Medicine, Makerere University, KampalaBackground: Early diagnosis of hypertension prevents a significant number of complications and premature deaths. In resource-variable settings, diagnosis may be limited by inadequate access to blood pressure (BP) machines. We sought to understand the availability, functionality and access of BP machines at the points of care within primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda. Methods: This was an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study combining a structured facility checklist and key informant interviews with primary care providers. The checklist was used to collect data on availability and functionality of BP machines within their organisational arrangements. Key informant interviews explored health providers’ access to BP machines. Results: The majority of health facilities reported at least one working BP machine. However, Health providers described limited access to machines because they are not located at each point of care. Health providers reported borrowing amongst themselves within their respective units or from other units within the facility. Some health providers purchase and bring their own BP machines to the health facilities or attempted to restore the functionality of broken ones. They are motivated to search the clinic for BP machines for some patients but not others based on their perception of the patient’s risk for hypertension. Conclusion: Access to BP machines at the point of care was limited. This makes hypertension screening selective based on health providers’ perception of the patients’ risk for hypertension. Training in proper BP machine use and regular maintenance will minimise frequent breakdowns.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5118hypertensionprimary careprimary healthcarehealth facilitiesblood pressure machine |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Innocent K. Besigye Vicent Okuuny Mari Armstrong-Hough Anne R. Katahoire Nelson K. Sewankambo Robert Mash Achilles Katamba |
spellingShingle |
Innocent K. Besigye Vicent Okuuny Mari Armstrong-Hough Anne R. Katahoire Nelson K. Sewankambo Robert Mash Achilles Katamba Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda South African Family Practice hypertension primary care primary healthcare health facilities blood pressure machine |
author_facet |
Innocent K. Besigye Vicent Okuuny Mari Armstrong-Hough Anne R. Katahoire Nelson K. Sewankambo Robert Mash Achilles Katamba |
author_sort |
Innocent K. Besigye |
title |
Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda |
title_short |
Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda |
title_full |
Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda |
title_fullStr |
Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda |
title_full_unstemmed |
Availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda |
title_sort |
availability, functionality and access of blood pressure machines at the points of care in public primary care facilities in tororo district, uganda |
publisher |
AOSIS |
series |
South African Family Practice |
issn |
2078-6190 2078-6204 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Background: Early diagnosis of hypertension prevents a significant number of complications and premature deaths. In resource-variable settings, diagnosis may be limited by inadequate access to blood pressure (BP) machines. We sought to understand the availability, functionality and access of BP machines at the points of care within primary care facilities in Tororo district, Uganda.
Methods: This was an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study combining a structured facility checklist and key informant interviews with primary care providers. The checklist was used to collect data on availability and functionality of BP machines within their organisational arrangements. Key informant interviews explored health providers’ access to BP machines.
Results: The majority of health facilities reported at least one working BP machine. However, Health providers described limited access to machines because they are not located at each point of care. Health providers reported borrowing amongst themselves within their respective units or from other units within the facility. Some health providers purchase and bring their own BP machines to the health facilities or attempted to restore the functionality of broken ones. They are motivated to search the clinic for BP machines for some patients but not others based on their perception of the patient’s risk for hypertension.
Conclusion: Access to BP machines at the point of care was limited. This makes hypertension screening selective based on health providers’ perception of the patients’ risk for hypertension. Training in proper BP machine use and regular maintenance will minimise frequent breakdowns. |
topic |
hypertension primary care primary healthcare health facilities blood pressure machine |
url |
https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5118 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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