ISQua 2024 Abstract Submission

Co-production - Creating a patient-centred healthcare service

 

ISQUA2024-ABS-1231

Patient and Family Engagement in Developing Countries: Evidence from Botswana.

Aaron A. Abuosi^{* 1}, Victor Mosweu², RAMONTSHONYANA Boingotlo ³

¹Health Services Management, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana, ²Ministry of Health, ³World Health Organization, Gaborone, Botswana

 

Preferred presentation method: 15 Minute Oral presentation

Have you presented this abstract at an ISQua Conference before?: No

I confirm that the submission has been approved by all authors: Yes

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the views of patients and family members in Botswana, regarding the state of Patient and Family Engagement (PFE) by health providers, which is considered crucial to the improvement of patient safety in health facilities.

Methods: A total of 384 patients and family members were recruited from 25 health facilities, using exit interview and convenient sampling techniques. Questionnaire, developed from the PFE domain of the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan (2021-2030), was used to conduct the survey. Descriptive statistics including frequencies, mean and standard deviations were employed to analyse data at the univariate level, while correlation and multiple regression analysis were used for bivariate and multivariate analysis respectively.

Results: Patients and Family engagement were assessed using five domains, including Engagement of Patients and Families in Co-Development of Policies, Learning from Patients Experience, Building the Capacity of Patient Advocates and Champions in Patient Safety, Ensuring Openness and Transparency Throughout Health Care, and Providing Information and Education to Patients and Families. These five domains were aggregated into an ‘Overall Patient and Family Engagement’ index. At the univariate level, the mean rating of two domains were low. These include Engagement of Patients and Families in Co-Development of Policies (M=2.90) and Building the Capacity of Patient Advocates and Champions in Patient Safety (M=2.68). The remaining three domains had moderate ratings, ranging from M=3.20 to M=3.63. Overall PFE mean was moderate (M= 3.13). Bivariate analysis showed a positive and weak correlation between Engagement of Patients and Families in Co-Development of Policies and patient safety/quality of care (r=.231); and Building the Capacity of Patient Advocates and Champions in Patient Safety and patient safety/quality of care (r=.288). The remaining three domains had moderately strong positive correlation with patient safety/quality of care, ranging from r=.346 - .447. Overall PFE had a weak positive correlation with patient safety/quality of care (r=.263). At the multivariate level, multiple linear regression analysis showed that Overall PFE was a significant predictor of patient safety/quality of care (p<.016, B=.361), holding socio-demographic variables constant.

Conclusion: Overall, patients and families are moderately engaged in Botswana, yet it is a significant predictor of patient safety and quality of care. The findings have implications for other developing countries and justify the premium placed by WHO in making PFE one of the seven strategic objectives of the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan (2021-2030).

References: Gruman, J., M. Holmes Rovner, and M. French, E., Jeffress, SS, Shaller, D. and Prager, DJ (2010).‘A New Definition of Patient Engagement: What is Engagement and Why is it Important?’Centre for Advancing Health. Excerpts taken from ‘From Patient Education to Patient Involvement: Implications for the Field of Patient Education’. Patient Education and Counseling. 78(3): p. 350-356.

James, J., Patient engagement. Health Affairs Health Policy Brief, 2013. 14(10.1377).  P427

 

Weingart, S.N., et al., Hospitalized patients’ participation and its impact on quality of care and patient safety. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 2011. 23(3): p. 269-277.

 

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared

 

Keywords: Botswana, Co-development of policies, Patient and Family Engagement