General practitioner reported follow-up visits among asthma patients in North Central Nigeria

• Published in: Annals of African medicine Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 209 - 213
• Main Authors: Fawibe, A E, Joseph, K J, Olaosebikan, O F, Salami, A K, Oluboyo, P O, Desalu, O O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Annals of African Medicine Society 01-07-2011; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Airway obstruction (Medicine); Appointments and Schedules; Asthma; Asthma - ethnology; Asthma - therapy; Asthma care, follow-up visits general practitioners, Nigeria; Care and treatment; Chronic illnesses; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Family Practice - statistics & numerical data; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General Practitioners; Health care industry; Hospitals; Humans; Long-Term Care; Male; Medical consultation; Middle Aged; Nigeria; Office Visits - statistics & numerical data; Patient outcomes; Physicians (General practice); Practice Patterns, Physicians; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Risk factors; Standard deviation; Nigeria
• ISSN: 1596-3519; 0975-5764
• DOI: 10.4103/1596-3519.84703

Background: Despite the benefits of regular follow-up in the long-term
care of asthma, no previous study has reported on it among asthma
patients in Nigeria. Objective: This survey was designed to evaluate
GP-reported follow-up visits among asthma patients in North Central
Nigeria. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted among GPs
in three North Central states of Nigeria. Results: Overall, 48.3% of
the GPs reported that their patients usually come for follow-up visits.
About 63.6%, 40.0%, and 55.3% of the GPs in Kwara, Kogi, and Niger
states, respectively, reported that their patients came for follow-up
visits in the month prior to this study. Less than two-third of GPs in
both private (55.1%) and public (56.8%) hospitals reportedly attended
to patients on follow-up visits. About 46.5%, 37.5%, and 52.0% of the
GPs who attended to patients <1 week, 1-2 weeks and >2 weeks
prior to the study reported that their patients came for follow-up
visits. There was significant difference (P = 0.04) in the reported
follow-up visits by GPs who attended to ≥10 asthma patients
compared to others. None of the nine GPs who reportedly treated ≥
10 patients in the preceding month of the study attended to any patient
on follow-up visits. Conclusion: The GP-reported rates of follow-up
visits in patients that are accessing asthma care from GPs practicing
in the North Central part of Nigeria are low. Further studies to
identify barriers to follow-up visits and how to correct them are
therefore recommended.