Co-Developing Strategies for Patient Engagement in Decentralized Rheumatic Heart Disease Care: Lessons from Northern Uganda.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) requires long-term secondary antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent disease progression, yet sustained patient engagement remains challenging in many low- and middle-income countries. Within Uganda's first integrated decentralized RHD control program, Accelerating Delivery of Rheumatic Heart Disease Preventive Services in Uganda (ADUNU), we applied a human-centered design (HCD) approach to co-develop strategies for improving engagement in care. Using two Group Level Assessment sessions (with n = 43 stakeholders) and three design focus group discussions (n = 23 stakeholders), participants identified and prioritized feasible implementation strategies. Strategies were synthesized into four domains: community integrated follow-up, structured patient health education and counselling, provider capacity and service delivery improvement, and strengthening stock planning for medicine availability. These co-developed strategies directly address barriers related to missed appointments, limited understanding of RHD, provider-patient interactions, and medicine stockouts within decentralized primary care settings. This participatory approach generated contextually grounded strategies, ready for prospective testing within decentralized RHD programs.
Cardiovascular diseases
Access
Care/Management
Advocacy

Authors

Pulle Pulle, Vaughn Vaughn, Otim Otim, Nakagaayi Nakagaayi, Pardo Pardo, deLoizaga deLoizaga, Miller Miller, Rwebembera Rwebembera, Okello Okello, Sewankambo Sewankambo, Danforth Danforth, Beaton Beaton, Watkins Watkins, Kayima Kayima
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