Care Management of Non-Communicable Diseases in Urban Community

Abstract

In Thailand, non-communicable diseases are becoming increasingly more important problems than in the past. The government cannot afford to provide effective, health services for everyone, especially those in slums and blighted areas. There are several causes of these problems, and it is important to find ways to solve them.
   In a retrospective study of methods to improve treatment of non-communicable diseases in the urban community of Din Daeng in 1993, we found that a pilot project of home health care for the elderly be the Social Medicine Department, Rajavithi Hospital, Ministry of Public Health, could change the habits of non-communicable disease patients. For example, the rate of compliance of taking medication increased form 84.7% to 91.5%. A study of the treatment of diabetic and hypertensive patients in Din Daeng in 1998, showed that Rajavithi Hospital’s health teams and village health volunteers could change the habits of the patients such as improving compliance from 76.6% to 90% in diabetic patients and form 84.4% to 100% in hypertensive patients. Presently, the establishment of CPHCC, including many training activities for the volunteers the community to provide self health services in both urban and rural areas, is happening not only in Thailand, but also in other countries. This preliminary study may be an alternative way to help treat the patients with non-communicable disease. Certainly, we can achieve the goal of “Health for All by the Year 2000â€.
   Even though this retrospective study shows an effective method for improving care management of non0communicable diseases in the urban community, there may exist other effective methods. This calls for further studies.