Continuity of care among people with hypertension and disabilities

ObjectivesContinuity of care is a critical component of successful hypertension management. With the growing prevalence of people living with both hypertension and disabilities, it is essential to explore how disability impacts continuity of care. This study aimed to investigate whether disability is associated with continuity of care among people with hypertension.MethodsThis study was a retrospective observational cross-sectional analysis using the 2019 Korea National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort database. A total of 104,280 individuals diagnosed with hypertension aged 30 years and older were included. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the impact of disability on the odds of having higher continuity of care, measured using the Bice-Boxerman index, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.ResultsPeople with hypertension who also have physical disabilities were 6.6% less likely to achieve optimal COC compared to those without disabilities (Odds ratio = 0.934; 95% confidence interval = 0.875, 0.998).ConclusionPhysical disability significantly reduces the likelihood of achieving optimal COC in hypertension management. Targeted interventions addressing barriers faced by people with disabilities and hypertension are critical for improving care coordination and health outcomes.DiscussionThis study highlights the need for disability-inclusive healthcare policies and practices to reduce disparities in hypertension care.