Quality of Chronic Disease (Diabetes & Hypertension) Care in Health Care Facilities in High Disease Burden Areas in Sidama Region: Cross-Sectional Study

Bedilu Deribe Derese,1 Fikru Tadesse,1 Gezahegn Bekele Dadi,1 Mohammed Ayalew,1 Yacob Abraham Borie,1 Tinbete Samuel Alemayehu,1 Amdehiwot Aynalem,1 Ephrem Geja Gechere,1 Martha Girma Gebrekidan,1 Alemu Tamiso Debiso,2 Akalewold Alemayehu,2 Meskerem Jisso Ebido,2 Kindalem Worku Mihrete,3 Rekiku Fikre,4 Amanuel Ejeso,5 Wondwossen Abera6 1School of Nursing; Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Science, Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health; Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia; 3School of Medicine; Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia; 4Department of Midwifery; Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia; 5Department of Environmental; Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences Health, Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia; 6School of Medical Laboratory; Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Bedilu Deribe Derese, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Diabetes and hypertension are major synergistic risk factors for microvasculopathy, microangiopathy, and neuropathy problems among patients with chronic disorder. Control of hypertension and diabetes have significant value in delaying these complications. The key for delaying complications in diabetes and hypertension is the quality of care.Objective: This study explored the quality of diabetes-hypertension care in health care facilities with high disease burden in Sidama region.Methodology: An institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out. Patients with diabetes and hypertension were included in the study. In this study, we included 844 patients were included in the study. For data collection, the application software Kobo Collect was utilized. For data analysis, SPSS version 25 was used. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with quality of care. To measure quality, we employed patient outcome indicators focusing on long-term complications of the eye, heart, fasting blood pressure, and neuropathic complications. Ethical approval clearance was obtained from Hawassa University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences ethical review board.Results: The mean age of patients was 47.99 ± 15.26 years, with a range of 18– 90 years, while men make up 62% of the overall number of respondents. In terms of marital status, 700 (82.9%) were married. Concerning place of residence; 433 (51.3%) were from rural area. The primary diagnosis is diabetes for 419 (49.6%) patients, and nearly 23% of patients have both diabetes and hypertension. In terms of blood pressure, the average systolic pressure was 129.6 mmHg and the average diastolic pressure was 82.6 mmHg. Among the study participants, 391 (46.33%) patients received poor quality of chronic disease care. Patients living alone, patients who have professional work, fasting blood glucose in normal range, patients with higher education, and patients with serum creatinine receive relatively good chronic illness care.Keywords: high blood glucose, high blood pressure, diabetes-hypertension, Sidama, Ethiopi