Primary Health care sevices for older people with progressive multimorbidity. Lessons from Malawi
Abstract
The type of research study:
This is a primary care health services research study. The study will employ a cross
sectional mixed methods design.
The problem:
Older people living in Malawi are faced with challenges to effectively access and utilize
primary healthcare services due to several factors that have not been adequately
documented. Keeping primary healthcare services available and accessible to this
patient population especially for those living with multiple serious illnesses is therefore
vital in promoting quality of life thereby preventing unnecessary deaths.
The Objectives:
Broad Objective
To explore primary healthcare service delivery and utilization for the
older patients with progressive multi-morbidity in Malawi.
Specific Objectives
1. To analyze provision of primary healthcare services in the older
population with progressive morbid conditions in LMIC including Malawi.
2. To assess experiences for the utilization of primary healthcare services
by the older patients living with progressive multi-morbidity.
3. To characterize nature of progressive co-morbidities for the older
patients receiving primary healthcare services.
Methodology:
A Systematic Review (SR) will be conducted first to help give an understanding of how
primary healthcare services are provided to the older patients living with progressive
multi-morbidity in Malawi including some Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC).
This will be followed by In-Depth interviews with prospective participants (older
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Date: 16 May 2022 version: 1.1 Page | 12
patients and caregiver dyads and healthcare workers) and completion of data
collection tools using medical records.
Data collection will be done at respective health facilities (study sites) including
Mangochi District Hospital, Kamuzu Central Hospital and Mzimba District Hospital.
Expected Findings and their dissemination:
Using the Andersen-Newman framework for health services utilization, the study is
expected to unearth series of factors i.e. predisposing, enabling and need factors that
influence utilization of health services by the older patients living with multi-morbidity.
Findings will be presented to the respective participating health facilities across the
country. Additionally, both local and international scientific conferences will be targeted
for dissemination including publication in peer reviewed journals. Copies of findings
will be shared with College of Medicine Research and Ethics Committee (COMREC and College of Medicine Library for wider dissemination.