Theoretical framework

We used an analytical framework that would broadly capture information on both supply- and demand-side barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and management of hypertension and diabetes. The continuum of care is a comprehensive approach to identify potential barriers at each stage of seeking, accessing, and receiving consistent, appropriate and quality care. We used a continuum of care framework to understand the gaps between individuals and the health care system and prioritize the most critical challenges in service delivery and access. We also sought to quantify the proportion of patients along each step in the continuum of care, focusing largely on individuals with undiagnosed disease, diagnosed but untreated disease, and treated but inadequately controlled disease. (Fig. 1).

The Continuum of Care Framework