P-49 Assessment of the Relationships between Hypertensive Patients’ Level of Blood Pressure Control and their Personal Continuity of Care in Selected Public Health Centres in New Providence, Bahamas

Methods: Retrospective chart review with a cross-sectional component on Hypertensive patients attending two government primary care clinics in New Providence, Bahamas: Family Medicine clinic (FMC) and Flamingo Gardens clinic (FGC). Personal continuity of care was assessed by using the usual provider care index (UPIC). UPIC of zero signifies no continuity while one reflects perfect continuity ie. in all visits, the patient saw the same provider. The averaged mean systolic and diastolic reading were calculated on Hypertensive adult patients who had at least 2 clinic visits within the last 12 months. The JNC8 guideline was used to assess level of blood pressure control.

Results: 353 participants were involved in this study. The mean averaged SBP was 149.7 (± 18.4) mmHg and DBP was 82.7 (±10.9) mmHg. Of the 224 participants at FMC, 110 (49%) had controlled BP and the UPIC score was 0.76 (±0.02). The uncontrolled group had 114 (50.9%) participants with a UPIC score of 0.80 (±0.02). Of the 129 participants at FGC, 45 (34.9%) had controlled BP and the UPIC score was 0.50 (±0.04). The uncontrolled group had 84 (65.1%) participants with a UPIC score of 0.52 (±0.02).

Conclusion: PCC was not related to blood pressure control in the study. FMC had a similar high UPIC score value for both controlled and uncontrolled hypertensives groups. FGC had a similar intermediate UPIC score value for both the controlled and uncontrolled hypertensives groups.