Closing Gaps in Asthma Care: Role of Nurse in Addressing Challenges, Barriers and Opportunities in Universal health coverage

Abstract

Background: Chronic respiratory illness is increasing and are a health burden in India, there are nearly 37 million asthmatics around the world. India contributes to 11.1 per cent of the global asthma burden and accounts for over 42 per cent of related deaths making it the asthma capital of the world. According to The Global asthma report (2018), the barriers to implementing successful treatment methods for Asthma in India is still a stigma. India has primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of their healthcare service. A patient diagnosed with severe asthma by a primary/secondary care physician should be referred early to a specialist in a tertiary healthcare setting which is not done at present due to unequal access to health resources. A large proportion of patients are just prescribed to take oral steroids and are not referred to tertiary care hospitals. These factors contribute to suboptimal asthma care As a result, there is a requirement for shared decision-making, effective patient-doctor communication, self-management, interdisciplinary patient education, innovative technologies, and risk classification, all of which may offer solutions to this significant unmet need in asthma.

Purpose/ Objectives: (1) To review the evidence supporting Universal Health Coverage for Asthma Control in India. (2) To recognize the Role of Nurse in Addressing Challenges, Barriers and Opportunities. (3) To pave way for a future collaborative network in asthma epidemiological research and identifies the strategies for achieving universal health coverage

Methodology /Methods: A critical review through a comprehensive search of the databases were used for search are CINAHL, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Wiley, SCOPUS, PubMed and Cochrane. Pysc INFO and SCOPUS. Qualitative and Quantitative studies was reviewed. Results: Advanced practice nurses should focus on knowledge transfer initiatives that are necessary to close these gaps and can be customized using the identified psychological indicators Nurses must involve patients in Shared decision-making, assist in Establishing good patient–clinician communication, support self-management, multidisciplinary patient education, awareness of new technology. Conclusion: It is necessary to overcome difficulties such as uneven distribution and access of health care and capitalize in multidisciplinary collaboration, public empowerment, therapeutic relationships, to promote quality of life, holistic care and universal health coverage.