Prevention of Chronic Noncommunicable Disease in Mongolia: A Facility-Based Qualitative Study

Abstract

Nutrition, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption are major causes of morbidity and mortality related to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Hypertension, diabetes type II, cancer, and chronic pulmonary diseases cause 60 percent of deaths worldwide and will likely increase by 17 percent during the next 10 years. Eighty percent of deaths caused by NCDs are registered in low- and middle-income countries in the working-age population and contribute to the growth of poverty [1,2,3].

During the last 15 years in Mongolia the leading causes of mortality have been cardiovascular disease and cancer. This qualitative survey is one part of the Facility-Based Impact Study (FBIS) and was funded by the MCA Health Project. The overall goal of the MCA Health Project is to reduce mortality and morbidity caused by NCD and traffic accidents. Over a period of five years, the project aims to provide the population with essential knowledge about health promotion, the prevention and early detection of NCDs, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles through capacity building for the health system and, more specifically, for the preventive facilities. One main activity of the project is to improve primary health services related to NCDs through interventions for capacity building on the level of health facilities. This FBIS focuses on assessing the current situation in the facilities to enable a later comparison of the results of this baseline study and a later follow-up study to evaluate the impact of the Health Project on the performance of health staff, their knowledge, attitudes, and practice in the facilities, and the preparedness of facilities in terms of equipment and staff. The survey was carried out by a joint team of local and international consultants from the MCA Health Project, EPOS Health Management and THL Finland, and researchers from the School of Public Health.