Self-management approaches for individuals with multiple chronic health conditions in rural South Africa
Medical Research Council
University of the Witwatersrand
South Africans are experiencing a complex, protracted health transition characterised by ongoing burdens from epidemic infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, rapidly increasing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases such as heart diseases, stroke, cancer and metabolic disorders and ill-prepared healthcare systems. Levels of multimorbidity, commonly defined as having two or more medical conditions are very high among older South Africans in rural areas with combinations of cardiometabolic conditions, cardiometabolic conditions and depression, HIV and anaemia and combinations of mental disorders as the most common condition groups and multimorbid profiles. As self-management is a critical aspect of the management of chronic diseases, it is important to understand the extent to which individuals with multiple chronic health conditions in South Africa, particularly in rural settings are involved in the self-management of their conditions. Evidence from high income settings shows that self-monitoring of personal health, which is a key aspect of patients' self-management of chronic illnesses, could improve self-management, symptom management and disease regulation, and could lead to reductions in complications, improved patients' coping and attitudes toward their disease, realistic goal setting and an enhanced quality of life. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches this project will assess the extent to which individuals with multiple chronic health conditions living in rural South Africa self-monitor their health, what methods they use, and the effect of different self-monitoring approaches on behaviours and health outcomes. The research will be conducted in the Agincourt health and socio-demographic surveillance system study area in Agincourt sub-district in Mpumalanga province, in northeast South Africa.
3.1 Primary prevention interventions to modify behaviours or promote well-being / P&Cs