PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE AWARENESS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS

One of the leading priorities in the healthcare of European countries is chronic non communicable diseases that lead to disability and premature death and require constant monitoring and care. Rehabilitation is an important and growing part of modern medical practice. Given the reality of an aging population and the increasing burden of chronic diseases and disabilities, it is necessary to rethink the specific health needs of at-risk populations and to devise rehabilitation strategies to ensure the rights of the chronically ill and disabled, and their integration into the social, the political and economic life of society. Patients with chronic diseases need information and training to prevent possible complications on the one hand and, on the other, to provide care adequate to the development of the chronic disease. The purpose of this study is to identify patients with chronic illnesses regarding the opportunities offered by the rehabilitation process. The study was conducted in the first half of 2019 at two rehabilitation hospitals located in the northwestern part of the Republic of Bulgaria. A direct individual survey examined the opinion of 246 patients. The average age of respondents was 61.2%, with women being 65.5% and 35.5% being men. All of them suffer from chronic non communicable disease, with almost half (48.4%) being disabled and having a certain percentage of disability. Unfortunately, patients do not attach much importance to rehabilitation as opposed to treatment and all therapeutic interventions. Patients with chronic illnesses need a certain amount of information and training to prevent possible complications, on the one hand, and on the other, to provide care adequate to the development of the chronic disease. By informing patients, nurses help them adapt to their condition to maintain their comfort level as much as possible or to change their lifestyle to reduce the risk factors for the disease. Patients are generally informed about the prescribed treatment and rehabilitation program that is carried out during their stay at the rehabilitation hospital, with a significant proportion of patients indicating that they are only satisfied with the information received. Not a small number of patients are dissatisfied, and there are some who are very dissatisfied. Most patients are partially informed about the care they need to be able to exercise in their health. Patients' relatives do not have the necessary knowledge and skills to handle care without the help and training of medical professionals. There is an urgent need for information systems and expert mechanisms to assess the health needs of the population, prioritize, support decision-making and monitor health outcomes. The increased incidence of chronic diseases poses new challenges and different requirements for human resources in healthcare. Their skills and competences need to be expanded and complemented in order to build an integrated model of medical and social care centered on the patient.