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Hervé Brice Djiofack Kentsop1, Julia Elisabeth von Oettingen2, Adèle Bodieu Chetcha3
1Université de Montréal, École de santé publique, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Centre de recherche en santé publique, Montréal, Canada.
Introduction:
Integrating type 1 diabetes (T1D) care in Cameroon is a challenge. Despite a number of initiatives providing free insulin to children, care is still inadequate.
Purpose Of The Study:
This study explores the experiences of and recommendations for health professionals and families as actors in the integration of T1D care into the health system in Cameroon.
Methods:
38 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted: 5 with experts from the Ministry of Health, 13 with health care workers, and 20 with families (n=23 family members). An iterative approach was used in the thematic analysis. Categories were coded using QDA Miner 5.0.31 (Provalis).
Results:
Participants revealed the importance of seeing T1D care more prominently as a government issue. Care professionals and families highlighted organizational challenges, stigma, and lack of understanding of the disease as major barriers. By contrast, caregivers highlighted the workload due to the lack of staff with training and education in T1D, and infrastructure issues, as barriers to the integration aspects of T1D care.
Conclusions:
Despite concerted efforts, health professionals and families identified multiple barriers to the effective integration of T1D care. The results suggest opportunities/recommendations for addressing community challenges with a view to more integrated and participatory T1D care.