Rono kimutai Stephen
AMPATH, Kenya
Title: Effect of nurse management of diabetes in rural Western Kenya
Biography
Biography: Rono kimutai Stephen
Abstract
Background: Diabetes, a major CVD risk factor, is the leading cause of death in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, treatment and control rates are very low in many LMICs. one strategy to improve access is task shift ing of diabetes care to Nurses, but it is unclear if such strategy is effective in LMICs. Here, I report the eff ect of a Nurse based diabetes management program in Kenya.
Methods: In 2011, AMPATH chronic disease management program initiated Nurse based diabetes management in rural western Kenya in level two facilities. Diabetes patients who initiated care between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015, comprised the clinical cohort. The primary outcome measure was one-year change in random blood sugars (RBS) evaluated by paired test. Results were determined overall, and stratifi ed by key covariates, multivariable regression was also performed.
Results: Th e cohort consisted of 563 adult patients (297 F and 266 M) with follow up data available for 399 (70.8%) overall RBS decreased significantly from baseline to follow up (4.3 mmol/L), which was also observed across several participant subcategories.
Conclusion: These results suggest that Nurses managed diabetes care can significantly improve blood sugar among diabetic patients. If reproduced in prospective trial settings, this could be an eff ective strategy for diabetes care in LMICs.