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Capacity of the health facilities to manage Alzheimer’s and related dementia diseases in Mukono district: Challenges and recommendations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2023

D. Jephthah  and
I. Ddumba
D. Jephthah*
Affiliation:
1Nursing, Victoria University
I. Ddumba
Affiliation:
2Research and Innovation, African Research Center 4 Ageing & Dementia, Kampala, Uganda
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

With the projected increase in the number of older persons in both low and middle-income countries, the burden of Alzheimer’s and related dementia diseases (AD/ARDs) is projected to increase as well. However, the health systems are inadequately prepared to offer optimal care for patients with AD/ARDs, despite the growing disease burden.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the capacity of the health facilities to optimally manage Alzheimer’s and related dementia diseases in the Mukono district

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional between August and December 2018. A survey of 32 facilities (3 hospitals, 2 health center IV (HCIV), 15 health center III (HCIII) and 6 health center II (HCII), and 6 Private health facilities) in Mukono district. We conducted a thorough assessment of medical records, interviewed heads of the facilities, and a questionnaire was administered to 46 health workers. The study assessed the service provision for AD/ARDs, Knowledge of AD/ARDs management, challenges, and opportunities.

Results

Out of 32 health facilities assessed, 4 in 10 (42%) facilities reported managing (diagnosing/treating) clients with AD/ARDs, and the majority (90.2%) were run by Non-Physician Health Workers (NPHW). Only 2 in 10 had guidelines for managing AD/ARDs. Less than half (46.4%) had AD/ARDs medicines in stock (mainly Haloperidol) and all of the private facilities lacked essential medicine to treat AD/ARDs. All health center IIs lacked drugs for AD/ARDs. A significant knowledge gap in assessing and diagnosing AD/ARDs was observed among all the health workers. All health workers highlighted the need for additional training in AD/ARDs. A multitude of client and health provider challenges were observed in this study

Conclusions

Health facilities in Mukono district are inadequately prepared to offer optimal services for the management of AD/ARDs. AD/ARDs drugs, knowledge gap, and human resources for health presented a great challenge. In order to address the inadequately capacity to manage AD/ARDs, emphasis should be dwelt on strengthening the health facilities.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 66 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 31st European Congress of Psychiatry , March 2023 , pp. S171
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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