Study on the application effect of the family doctor contract service mode of 'basic package+personalised package' in elderly hypertension management in Chengdu, China: a retrospective observational study

Abstract

Objectives: We conducted this study to assess the application effect of the family doctor contract service mode of 'basic package+personalised package' in the management of hypertension patients.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: The study was conducted at a community health centre in Southwest China. Data were collected from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020.

Participants: From 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020, hypertensive patients (age ≥65 years) who participated in the contract services of family doctors at a community health service centre in Chengdu, Southwest China, were selected as the study subjects.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcomes included mean blood pressure (systolic, diastolic) and the rate of blood pressure control, secondary outcomes included the level of cardiovascular disease risk and self-management ability. Assessments of baseline and 6 months after signing up were conducted on all outcomes. The major statistical analysis methods included two independent sample t-tests, paired t-tests, Pearson's χ² test, McNemar's test, two independent sample Mann-Whitney U tests and paired sample marginal homogeneity tests.

Results: Of the 10 970 patients screened for eligibility, 968 (8.8%) were separated into an observation group (receiving 'basic package+personalised package (hypertension)' service) (n=403) and a control group (receiving 'basic package' service) (n=565) according to the type of service package they received. In comparison to the control group, the observation group had lower mean systolic blood pressure (p=0.023), higher blood pressure control rate (p<0.001), lower cardiovascular disease risk level (p<0.001) and higher self-management ability level (p<0.001) at 6 months after signing up. The mean diastolic blood pressure of the two groups was not significantly different (p=0.735).

Conclusions: The family doctor contract service model of 'basic package+personalised package (hypertension)' has a good application effect in the management of elderly hypertension, which can improve the average blood pressure, the rate of blood pressure control, the level of cardiovascular disease risk and self-management ability of the elderly with hypertension.

Keywords: general medicine (see internal medicine); geriatric medicine; health policy; hypertension; primary care; public health.