Patient Preference and Adherence (Jul 2023)
Adherence to Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC) Pathway Management of Chinese Community Elderly Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Xiaomin Zhang,1,* Jun Huang,2,* Fan Weng,3 Yanting Wen,3 Xiaoxia Wang,2 Junrong Jiang,4 Yumei Xue,4 Kun Li1 1School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Geriatrics, Guangdong Provincial Geriatrics Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Yuexiu District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yumei Xue, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, No. 106 Zhong Shan Second Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613570082363, Email [email protected] Kun Li, School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 74 Zhong Shan Second Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613822206519, Email [email protected]: Investigating adherence to the Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway management and identifying gaps between the real world and established guidelines can lead to better integrated management of AF. Current data on adherence to ABC pathway management among community elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in Chinese communities is limited.Aim: To investigate the adherence to ABC pathway management among community elderly patients with AF in China.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from the 2020 National Basic Public Health Service Program database that includes health examination information for all residents > 65 years of age in Yuexiu, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Demographic and clinical characteristics data from 197 community AF patients were obtained.Results: Among the 197 AF patients, 103 (52.3%) were male, 117 (59.4%) were ≥ 75 years of age, 127 (64.5%) had a senior middle school education or above, 84.3% were married, and 195 (99.0%) had medical insurance. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (72.1%, 142/197), dyslipidaemia (28.4%, 56/197), CAD (28.9%, 57/197), and diabetes (24.9%, 49/197). In terms of the ABC management pathway, 21.8% (43/197), 82.7% (163/197), and 31.5% (62/197) of AF patients were classified into the A-adherent group, B-adherent group, and C-adherent group, respectively. The level of adherence to ABC pathway management was very low (9.1%, 18/197) and independently associated with age and multimorbidity.Conclusion: The level of adherence to ABC pathway management in community elderly patients with AF was unsatisfactory. Further research is warranted to improve the integrated management of AF.Keywords: atrial fibrillation, community, integrated management, elderly