Overview

This course addresses the global rise in cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, especially in low- and middle-income countries. CMDs require long-term, personalized care, placing a heavy burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. The course explores how healthcare personnel can support lifelong treatment in resource-limited settings and develop healthcare models for underserved populations. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to follow nurses and doctors from Christian Medical College Vellore in Tamil Nadu, India, as they venture into remote areas. You will witness how they collaborate with local community health workers to treat the increasing number of people with CMDs and improve awareness and prevention. You will get insights into the challenges and barriers for cardiometabolic healthcare as well as ideas, advice and guidance on how to tackle them. The aim of the course is to equip healthcare professionals with knowledge and tools to improve CMD care in resource-constrained environments and inspire health managers to implement effective community health models based on multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The course is produced in collaboration between the Christian Medical College Vellore, India, (Departments of Community Health and Distance Education) and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, (Global Health Section and Centre for Online and Blended Learning). The course is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation as part of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals. The course has been produced with complete editorial independence from the funder.

Syllabus

The challenges of cardiometabolic diseases

In the first module, you will be introduced to the challenges of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) in India and other low- and middle-income countries. We will examine why the prevalence of these diseases is rising and the impact of this challenge on individuals, families, and healthcare systems. You will learn about the development of three central cardiometabolic conditions, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), how they are related, and the complications they can lead to. You will also experience how the Christian Medical College Vellore provides healthcare to remote and underserved populations with the use of mobile clinics and close collaboration between local community health workers, nurses and doctors from the regional health centres.

Who is at risk and how do we identify them?

People in India and many other low- and middle-income countries have a higher risk of developing cardiometabolic disease – even at a younger age and lower bodyweight compared to people of for example European descent. In this module we will focus on the specific risk factors for cardiometabolic disease in South and Southeast Asia. We will also focus on how screening for cardiometabolic diseases is done at CMC Vellore and the challenges related to screening.

Healthy living as prevention and as treatment

Leading a healthy lifestyle is key to preventing and treating cardiometabolic diseases – no matter if people have a genetic predisposition for these conditions or not. In this module we will look at the various aspects of healthy living and also the barriers many people experience in their attempt to follow health guidelines and treatment plans.

The challenges of continuous care for underserved populations

Cardiometabolic diseases are chronic conditions that require continuous care with a focus on educating patients about their disease as well as supporting them in following the treatment plan. In this module we will focus on how to initiate care for a newly diagnosed patient and how to tackle the challenges related to continuity of care. We will see how multidisciplinary healthcare teams with local community health workers, nurses and doctors collaborate when providing education, support and treatment for patients. Finally, we will also look into the importance of informal support to cardiometabolic patients through a case study from Vietnam.