Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jul 8, 2019
Date Accepted: Apr 7, 2020
Date Submitted to PubMed: May 22, 2020
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A Nurse-led Education and Engagement Study for Diabetes Care in Sub-Saharan Africa (NEEDS): Protocol for a Mixed Methodological Global Health Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
As the impact of diabetes grows steeply in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), improving the control and treatment of diabetes is a goal that SSA healthcare systems must achieve in the years to come. SSA faces a number of challenges in tackling the growing diabetes burden. One important factor is the shortage of an adequately trained healthcare workforce. Diabetes management in SSA will benefit from innovative approaches founded on solid theoretical constructs, building upon existing human and infrastructural resources, and that are culturally tailored to the specific priorities and needs of the local population. Use of available resources, such as mobile phones and task-shifting strategies can assist with glycemic control and self-management of diabetes and facilitate management of additional day-to-day clinical responsibilities.
Objective:
The objective of this mixed methods study is to develop a practical, collaborative, effective, and sustainable diabetes prevention and management program for patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in SSA and improve access to care through task shifting and the use of technology.
Methods:
This study was designed using a convergent, parallel mixed methodological approach, which includes surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and focused ethnography. The implementation of novel approaches, such as task-shifting strategies and use of mobile technology for T2DM in SSA is an under-researched area.
Results:
Data collection began February 2018, following ethics board approval. One hundred participants completed the survey followed by the focused ethnographic field observations and qualitative methods. Audio recordings from key informant interviews (n = 8) and focus groups (n = 4) have been transcribed and translated from Twi to English. Data analysis is currently underway and anticipated completion is targeted for fall 2019. Following data analysis, investigators plan to publish study findings.
Conclusions:
Insights from this study will inform the development of a feasible and preliminarily effective NEEDS mobile health intervention with the potential to reduce diabetes-related morbidity, mortality, and burden in SSA.
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