Care scheme 'can lessen impact of chronic diseases'
The Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme can effectively improve the cardiovascular and metabolic health of participants in the trial project and reduce the burden of long-term illnesses on the community, a study by the University of Hong Kong medical school has found. The study, the findings of which were released on Monday, was commissioned by the Health Bureau and saw HKUMed delve into the…
A new pilot scheme in Hong Kong aimed at improving the health of individuals with chronic diseases has shown promising results, according to a study conducted by the University of Hong Kong medical school. The scheme, which expanded to encompass approximately 300,000 participants between November 2023 and September 2023, focused on reducing the impact of cardiovascular and metabolic health issues on both the individuals and the community.
Out of the 160,000 participants who underwent the full screening process, around 40%—or 64,000 individuals—were diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes. Associate Professor Eric Wan, who led the research team, reported a significant improvement in the health of these participants who completed a year of follow-up treatments.
Glycated haemoglobin levels, a key indicator of long-term blood sugar control, dropped from 7.76% to 6.7%, representing a decrease of 1.05 percentage points. Similarly, systolic blood pressure, a measure of the force exerted on the arteries during heartbeats, decreased from around 136 at the beginning of the study to 129.
Professor Wan emphasized that the scheme had also helped participants gain a better understanding of how to manage their health conditions. Moreover, 96% of those involved rated the services provided by the district health centres as useful and necessary. Esther Yu, a consultant from the Primary Healthcare Commission of the Health Bureau, noted that a healthier lifestyle, including non-pharmacological treatments such as jogging, dietary management, and stress reduction, could also play a substantial role in lowering blood pressure.
She highlighted that more than 900 family doctors are currently participating in the Primary Healthcare co-care Network, expressing confidence in the scheme's ability to accommodate an even larger number of participants.
Yu stressed that the scheme represents an ongoing journey and encourages the public to collaborate with the medical team to mitigate the risks associated with chronic diseases.
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