Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension
Background Against the backdrop of Lebanon’s escalating multifaceted crisis which resulted in medication shortages for chronic diseases and unaffordable healthcare services, the current study endeavors to shed light on a critical yet overlooked facet of the Lebanese economic crisis– its profound imp...
محفوظ في:
| المؤلف الرئيسي: | |
|---|---|
| مؤلفون آخرون: | , , , , , , |
| التنسيق: | article |
| منشور في: |
2024
|
| الوصول للمادة أونلاين: | http://hdl.handle.net/10725/15360 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18116-6 http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php https://www.springermedizin.de/unveiling-the-unseen-toll-exploring-the-impact-of-the-lebanese-e/26791078 |
| الوسوم: |
إضافة وسم
لا توجد وسوم, كن أول من يضع وسما على هذه التسجيلة!
|
| _version_ | 1864513470498603008 |
|---|---|
| author | Cherfane, Michelle |
| author2 | Boueri, Myriam Issa, Elio Abdallah, Racha Hamam, Ali Sbeity, Kassem Saad, Anthony Abi-Gerges, Aniella |
| author2_role | author author author author author author author |
| author_facet | Cherfane, Michelle Boueri, Myriam Issa, Elio Abdallah, Racha Hamam, Ali Sbeity, Kassem Saad, Anthony Abi-Gerges, Aniella |
| author_role | author |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv | Cherfane, Michelle Boueri, Myriam Issa, Elio Abdallah, Racha Hamam, Ali Sbeity, Kassem Saad, Anthony Abi-Gerges, Aniella |
| dc.date.none.fl_str_mv | 2024-03-01T10:33:06Z 2024-03-01T10:33:06Z 2024 2024-12-01 |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv | 1471-2458 http://hdl.handle.net/10725/15360 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18116-6 Cherfane, M., Boueri, M., Issa, E., Abdallah, R., Hamam, A., ... & Abi-Gerges, A. (2024). Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension. BMC Public Health, 24 (1), 1-14. http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php https://www.springermedizin.de/unveiling-the-unseen-toll-exploring-the-impact-of-the-lebanese-e/26791078 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv | en |
| dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv | BMC Public Health |
| dc.rights.*.fl_str_mv | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| dc.title.none.fl_str_mv | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv | Article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion info:eu-repo/semantics/article |
| description | Background Against the backdrop of Lebanon’s escalating multifaceted crisis which resulted in medication shortages for chronic diseases and unaffordable healthcare services, the current study endeavors to shed light on a critical yet overlooked facet of the Lebanese economic crisis– its profound impact on the health-seeking behaviors of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Methods An exploratory cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire was conducted on 156 adult Lebanese citizens diagnosed medically with either hypertension or diabetes. We gathered sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare-related challenges faced during the economic crisis. We also assessed stress levels using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were done using SPSS version 26. Results The mean age of the population was 49.8 ± 17.7 years old, 51.6% were females and 48.4% were males, 29.7% had diabetes, 51.3% had hypertension and 19.0% had both diseases. Among all, 84.2% reported dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system, 31.6% reported changing their physician mainly because of unaffordable consultation fees (66%) or immigration of the physician (32%). Of those with hypertension and/or diabetes, less than 20% reported finding all their prescribed medications and 47% either modified or discontinued their treatment without seeking medical advice. In case of drug shortage, patients relied on stocked reserves (26%), alternative/generic medications (10%) and external sources for medication procurement such as relatives living abroad (41.7%), outsourcing suppliers (19.9%), dispensaries (19.6%) and NGOs (20.3%). All participants reported a high stress level (5.03/7) with a mean total DASS-21 score of 38.7 ± 35.8 that were attributed to August 4th Beirut port explosion (81.0%), global pandemic (81%), unstable political conditions (90.5%), economic crisis (96.8%), medication shortage (91.8%) and inability to access healthcare (74.1%). Higher sub-scores for anxiety, depression and total stress were insignificantly noted in participants with both hypertension and diabetes (p > 0.05). Conclusion Our findings explore how the economic crisis has taken its toll on almost all aspects of healthcare in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension in Lebanon. The drug shortage as well as disruptions in affordable healthcare access imposed several barriers to adequate adherence to treatment regimens and acted as important mental health stressors. |
| eu_rights_str_mv | openAccess |
| format | article |
| id | LAURepo_3b1e50183d60ea51e38100c025e9d734 |
| identifier_str_mv | 1471-2458 Cherfane, M., Boueri, M., Issa, E., Abdallah, R., Hamam, A., ... & Abi-Gerges, A. (2024). Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension. BMC Public Health, 24 (1), 1-14. |
| language_invalid_str_mv | en |
| network_acronym_str | LAURepo |
| network_name_str | Lebanese American University repository |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/15360 |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| repository.mail.fl_str_mv | |
| repository.name.fl_str_mv | |
| repository_id_str | |
| spelling | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertensionCherfane, MichelleBoueri, MyriamIssa, ElioAbdallah, RachaHamam, AliSbeity, KassemSaad, AnthonyAbi-Gerges, AniellaBackground Against the backdrop of Lebanon’s escalating multifaceted crisis which resulted in medication shortages for chronic diseases and unaffordable healthcare services, the current study endeavors to shed light on a critical yet overlooked facet of the Lebanese economic crisis– its profound impact on the health-seeking behaviors of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Methods An exploratory cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire was conducted on 156 adult Lebanese citizens diagnosed medically with either hypertension or diabetes. We gathered sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare-related challenges faced during the economic crisis. We also assessed stress levels using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were done using SPSS version 26. Results The mean age of the population was 49.8 ± 17.7 years old, 51.6% were females and 48.4% were males, 29.7% had diabetes, 51.3% had hypertension and 19.0% had both diseases. Among all, 84.2% reported dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system, 31.6% reported changing their physician mainly because of unaffordable consultation fees (66%) or immigration of the physician (32%). Of those with hypertension and/or diabetes, less than 20% reported finding all their prescribed medications and 47% either modified or discontinued their treatment without seeking medical advice. In case of drug shortage, patients relied on stocked reserves (26%), alternative/generic medications (10%) and external sources for medication procurement such as relatives living abroad (41.7%), outsourcing suppliers (19.9%), dispensaries (19.6%) and NGOs (20.3%). All participants reported a high stress level (5.03/7) with a mean total DASS-21 score of 38.7 ± 35.8 that were attributed to August 4th Beirut port explosion (81.0%), global pandemic (81%), unstable political conditions (90.5%), economic crisis (96.8%), medication shortage (91.8%) and inability to access healthcare (74.1%). Higher sub-scores for anxiety, depression and total stress were insignificantly noted in participants with both hypertension and diabetes (p > 0.05). Conclusion Our findings explore how the economic crisis has taken its toll on almost all aspects of healthcare in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension in Lebanon. The drug shortage as well as disruptions in affordable healthcare access imposed several barriers to adequate adherence to treatment regimens and acted as important mental health stressors.Published2024-03-01T10:33:06Z2024-03-01T10:33:06Z20242024-12-01Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article1471-2458http://hdl.handle.net/10725/15360https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18116-6Cherfane, M., Boueri, M., Issa, E., Abdallah, R., Hamam, A., ... & Abi-Gerges, A. (2024). Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension. BMC Public Health, 24 (1), 1-14.http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.phphttps://www.springermedizin.de/unveiling-the-unseen-toll-exploring-the-impact-of-the-lebanese-e/26791078enBMC Public Healthinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/153602024-07-03T08:50:25Z |
| spellingShingle | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension Cherfane, Michelle |
| status_str | publishedVersion |
| title | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| title_full | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| title_fullStr | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| title_short | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| title_sort | Unveiling the unseen toll: exploring the impact of the Lebanese economic crisis on the health-seeking behaviors in a sample of patients with diabetes and hypertension |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10725/15360 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18116-6 http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php https://www.springermedizin.de/unveiling-the-unseen-toll-exploring-the-impact-of-the-lebanese-e/26791078 |