Abstract
BACKGROUND: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are prevalent worldwide and contribute to public health challenges. Health education, driven by World Health Organization's (WHO's) Package of Essential Non-Communicable Diseases (PEN), is a mainstay in managing these NCDs in primary healthcare settings in Palestine. This study evaluated the effect of the WHO's PEN's health education protocol on NCD patients' bio-physical outcomes in the West Bank, Palestine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with NCDs receiving within PEN protocol at 49 primary healthcare clinics in the Ramallah district of the West Bank were identified and were selected into study consecutively at the time of their visit to the clinic. Patients' perspectives towards management of their NCDs were retrieved from the WHO STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS). Bio-physical measurements were taken at the time of the visit to clinic and compared to previous records. Data analysis performed using SPSS; mean and standard deviations computed for continuous variables, while categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages. Paired sample t-test used to test for statistical significance for changes between initial and last bio-physical or bio-chemical measurements. RESULTS: A total of 377 patients were included in the study. Self-evaluation showed positive feedback towards assessing, monitoring, and managing all assessed NCDs. Majority of participants reported rarely or never receiving health education on quitting smoking (85.6%), nutrition (95.5%), physical exercise (91.5%), and medication-related issues (84.9%). Biophysical parameters showed reductions in weight by 1.5 kg/m(2), waist circumference by 2.2 cm, and systolic and diastolic BP by 6.5 and 4 mmHg, respectively. Biochemical value reductions were observed for Hemoglobin A1c by 0.6%, total cholesterol by 25mg/dl, triglyceride by 11.5mg/dl, and low-density lipoprotein by 25mg/dl over a year. CONCLUSION: Despite its significant bio-physical outcomes, the PEN health education protocol needs systematic planning and evaluation to attain the best outcomes.