Authors (including presenting author) :
Sun MP(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Hong Kong Credible Care Volunteers Association
Introduction :
Limited medical resources, Hong Kong's medical strategy focuses on treatment and neglects prevention. Primary health care enables health systems to support a person’s health needs – from health promotion to disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and more. Primary health care is widely regarded as the most inclusive, equitable and cost-effective way to achieve universal health coverage. Nurses voluntary groups can effectively provide health education and primary healthcare at the community level.
Objectives :
Hong Kong Credible Care Volunteers Association (HKCCVA) http://www.hkccva.com is an officially registered charitable institution in Hong Kong formed in 2013 by a group of nurse volunteers. Membership includes non-employment/retired nurses and nursing students.
HKCCVA had organized numerous voluntary primary health promotion & disease prevention activities in the past nine years (March 2013 - Dec 2022), serving over 22,674 people in communities.
Mission
To gather nurses, professional from different sectors, and volunteers who are willing to provide voluntary activities to service the community in Hong Kong.
Objectives
To gather nurses, professional people, and volunteers who are willing to serve the community in Hong Kong.
To match nurse volunteers expertise to meet the needs of the different charitable, non-profit voluntary organizations in Hong Kong.
To identify the needs of the community and to provide nursing services as requested.
To co-operate with other charitable, non-profit making, or voluntary organizations in serving the community.
To promote health awareness in the community.
To work in partnership with other charitable, non-profit making or voluntary organizations to serve the community.
Services Scope
Volunteer Nurses Referral Services
To identify volunteer nurses with specific expertise and experience and refer them to serve Organization that requests our services.
Development of Volunteer Management Team
To provide management, supervision, co-ordination, training and leadership development in order to promote the mission of the organization; to provide high-quality nursing volunteering services to the Hong Kong community.
Promotion of health awareness
To organize various activities to promote health awareness in Hong Kong.
Methodology :
Voluntary activities including:
Health Check (number of activities completed: 197): blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar, HbA1C, cholesterol, INR, dementia etc.
Health Talk (number of activities completed: 241): control blood pressure, control body weight, general disease prevention, DM, dementia, prevention of fall and health promotion by traditional Chinese medicine etc.
Exercise training (number of activities completed: 80): Baduanjin, Tai Chi & Stretching etc.
Others (number of activities completed: 206): hospital /phone visit, vaccine injection, volunteer training, donation etc.
Result & Outcome :
Outcome of Health Check:
Over weight (BMI >25.4) is common in the elderly especially DM (Average BMI >24)
More than 75% of the DM elderly unsatisfactory control blood glucose levels. (HBA1C level ˃ 8.9%)
52.2% (cholesterol level > 5.2) elderly are potential undiagnosed pre- hypercholesterolemia patients.
30% of the elderly were found to have mild to very severe cognitive impairment.
Conclusion
Regular health surveillance at communities is suggested to identify undiagnosed cases e.g. DM, High BP, dementia & hypercholesterolemia. Increased awareness, early identification, and optimal education are essential to reduce the risk of premature disease such as stroke, dementia & heart disease.
Nurses voluntary groups can effectively provide health education and primary healthcare at the community level. To enhance community health awareness & promote primary health care, HKCCVA had organized over 724 voluntary health promotion activities in the past nine years, serving over 22,674 people in communities.
To fully utilize the nursing manpower in Hong Kong, it is recommended that Hospital Authority establish a formal nurse volunteer group.
