**5.5 Fighting stigma associated with NCDs**

*Lifestyle and Epidemiology - The Double Burden of Poverty and Cardiovascular Diseases...*

in making sure that they support their loved ones [1].

**5.1 Establishment of trust within community members**

munity level to manage the disease:

**5.2 Establishment of community forum**

equipments and community forums [19].

**5.3 Involve of partners in managing NCDs**

and improve quality of life of patients [20].

**NCDS**

Disclosing the disease to family members who will in turn play a role in treatment supporter and also encouraging to adhere to health advice such making sure that the whole family control salt intake and engage in physical activity just to support PLWNCDs that they are living with. The family members will also do more

**5. Strategies that could be adhered to at community level to manage** 

The following are the NCDs management strategies that could be used at com-

Interpersonal positive relationships amongst community is key for management

These types of forum will assist in bringing PLWNCDs together and support one another by sharing their experiences and how people are managing challenges they come across. Additionally, the forum sessions will assist in discussing which specific strategy could be used to solve and adapt to what PLWNCDs are experiencing. More knowledge will be acquired from these forums related to the disease. The health professionals are expected to form part of this forum to provide medical advice always through workshops and health education sessions. This forum could also assist in reaching out for community members who are unable to travel to hospitals due to lack of financial resources to cater for transport. The community members could also be able to identify amongst themselves people who will be able to assist with daily support to PLWNCDs so that they are able to adhere to appropriate selfmanagement strategies. Furthermore, the community forums could engage with the local businesses so that they paste posters and distribute pamphlets that have self-management strategies for PLWNCDs. The health interventions programmes to control risk factors at community levels requires trained NCDs nurses, functional

Partners of PLWNCDs can play a significant role in management of NCDs by making sure that resources needed are always to adhere to healthy life style, supporting them to adhere to medication, assisting in household responsibilities amongst other things raising children and others so as to alleviate them from stressors that could aggravate the disease. Supporting their partners to adhere to health education instructions and supporting them during medical consultations is significant. Spousal support has been found to positively influence health outcomes

of NDCs because they can support and adhere to reasonable self-management strategies in controlling and maintaining quality of life whilst living with the disease. Establishment of mentors within the communities to promote maintenance of healthy lifestyle and encourage PLWNCDs to adhere to health care and medication instructions. An American Study pointed out that the structural collaboration between health system and community organizations helps in improving healthcare

access at community level and also promoting preventive culture [18].

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Stigmatization is regarded as public health issue faced by PLWNCDs leading to their discrimination, isolation and social rejection from the society [21]. Stigmatization may negatively impact on the health of PLWNCDs and further increase the overall burden of the disease. The HCPs needs to take actions to help PLWNCDs on ways to fight the stigma through hearing experiences of the patients and further raising community awareness.
