Table 1.
Definitions for Patient Journey Relating to Four Key Noncommunicable Diseases
| Hypertension | Dyslipidemia | Depression | Pain (Chronic and Neuropathic) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness of disease process | Self-reported awareness, or any prior diagnosis, of HTN by an HCP | Self-reported awareness, or any prior diagnosis, of high serum total cholesterol level by an HCP | Self-reported knowledge or awareness of depression/depressive disorders | Self-reported knowledge or awareness of chronic pain or neuropathic pain |
| Screening for disease or risk factors, including surrogate markers | Measurement of BP by a doctor or other health worker | Cholesterol levels measured by a doctor or other health worker | Use of assessment questionnaires to screen for depression/depressive symptoms/depressive disorders | Use of standard pain assessment tools or neurological examination |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis of HTN by an HCP | Diagnosis of hyper-cholesterolemia by an HCP | Diagnosis of depression/depressive disorder by an HCP | Diagnosis with any type of chronic or neuropathic pain |
| Treatment | Use of antihypertensive medication for the management of high BP | Use of medications to reduce high cholesterol levels | Use of pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy to treat depression/depressive disorders | Use of pharmacological pain medication |
| Adherence to treatment advised by attending physician | Self-reported adherence and/or compliance with prescribed antihypertensive medication | Self-reported adherence and/or compliance with prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication | Self-reported adherence and/or compliance with prescribed pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy | Self-reported adherence and/or compliance with prescribed pharmacological pain medication |
| Control or remission of disease | Target BP ≤140/90 mmHg during treatment | Target total cholesterol level ≤5.0 mmol/L or ≤200 mg/dL during treatment | Improvement in depressive symptoms during treatment | Improvement in pain symptoms, quality of life or disease symptoms (self-reported or using an assessment tool) |
Abbreviations: BP, blood pressure; HCP, healthcare professional; HTN, hypertension.