Multimorbidity is increasing throughout the world. In many high-income countries (HICs), it is the norm rather than the exception, and low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) are heading in this direction. Multiple studies have shown that patients with multimorbidity suffer from worse clinical outcomes. Part of this is due to the fact that they experience a higher burden of treatment (BOT), which is defined as how their healthcare workload – or all of the things they must do to comply with their medical treatment – affects their functionality and well-being. One of the many factors that increases healthcare workload and consequently BOT is the presence of healthcare system-related barriers. In LMICs, healthcare systems have evolved to treat acute conditions rather than manage chronic ones and consequently are replete with numerous barriers preventing successful multimorbidity management. In order to improve outcomes in multimorbidity, it is crucial to create patient-centered interventions that minimize these barriers. Sustainable implementation of these changes, however, requires the use of quality indicators, one of which is BOT. Although several patient-reported outcome measures have been identified to measure BOT in clinical settings, their use in LMICs has been limited.

Aim:

Measure, describe and compare the burden of treatment between patients with type 2 diabetes and patients with multimorbidity in Lima and Tumbes. To contribute to improve the concept of burden of treatment so it captures the experiences of patients with multimorbidity in LMIC.

Study design:

We will evaluate BOT in multimorbid patients in Peru using a mixed-methods approach, involving both a quantitative and a qualitative phase.

Result:

Completed project.

Contact:

Silvana Perez Leon Q.

Silvana.perez.leon.q@upch.pe