Peripheral Arterial Disease Diagnosis and Management in Primary Care: A Qualitative Study
Fahd Al Qahtani, Modi Fahd Al qahtani, Majedah Fahd Al Qahtani
2019
Saudi Journal of Medicine
The patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) have impairment in lower limb function which negatively impacts mobility and daily activities. Over a period of time, the patients with PAD experience difficulty in their walking ability (i.e., walking distance, speed, and/or stair climbing). The reduced walking ability leads to the mobility loss and thereby an inability to perform the daily activities of live. Objective: This study highlights the gap in literature on the basis of the views of
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... the patients as well as the experience of primary care health professionals on the diagnosis and the management of PAD. It also demonstrated the problems that the patients and the primary care health professionals experience regarding the PAD diagnosis and management, and reveals the issues that could explain the delayed in the diagnosis and under-management of PAD. It also throws light on the need for providing the information to PAD patients and also to motivate them for regular follow-up. A more proactive attitude is needed for early identification of PAD by probing for the symptoms during the routine interactions. Method: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with PAD register patients (P; n = 20), practice nurses (PNs; n = 10), district nurses (DNs], n = 10), registered nurses (RN; n = 10), and General Physicians (GPs; n = 20). Results: The attitudes of health professionals towards PAD, difficulty in the accessing tests, and the delay in the patient reporting impacted upon the diagnosis. Some health professionals had a proactive while others had a reactive approach to PAD identification. Patients had lacked the understanding about PAD and many reported a delay in consulting their GP after the onset of PAD symptoms. After the diagnosis, only few were attending for regular GP follow-up. Conclusion: Patient education about PAD symptoms and risks could address the problem of under-reporting. Improved information regarding the PAD should be given to the patients after the diagnosis and the introduction of annual follow-up (at minimum) is warranted.
doi:10.36348/sjm.2019.v04i10.001
fatcat:4dw6tnkky5hmbgq2e3skcgxxqi