Health service utilization, perspectives, and health-seeking behavior for maternal and child health services in the Amazon of Peru, a mixed-methods study

Autor: Natalia Rivadeneyra, Christopher M. Westgard, Ally Rogers, Giselle Bello
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Health-seeking behavior
Implementation research
030231 tropical medicine
Child Health Services
Health Behavior
Health service utilization
Health Services Accessibility
Micronutrient supplements
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Health systems
Health facility
Residence Characteristics
Environmental health
Health care
Peru
medicine
Humans
Maternal Health Services
030212 general & internal medicine
Family planning
Child
Amazon
Health policy
Social policy
Child health
business.industry
Public health
lcsh:Public aspects of medicine
Research
Health Policy
Public Health
Environmental and Occupational Health
Health services research
lcsh:RA1-1270
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Health indicator
Health services
Child mortality
Socioeconomic Factors
Family Planning Services
Female
Maternal health
Psychology
business
Zdroj: International Journal for Equity in Health
International Journal for Equity in Health, Vol 18, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2019)
ISSN: 1475-9276
Popis: Background Various factors influence health service utilization at the community level. Research on the barriers to uptake of local health services is essential to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity. The Amazon region of Peru has some of the poorest health indicators in the country. The current study set out to better understand the health-seeking behavior and perspectives of mothers in Amazonian communities, exploring individual- and contextual-level barriers for seeking care at local health facilities for common maternal and child health issues. Methods The study employed a mixed-methods design by conducting 50 structured interviews with mothers of children under the age of 4. The study took place in 5 communities in Loreto, Peru. The quantitative data was analyzed with descriptive statistics to identify participants’ socio-demographic characteristics and reported utilization of health services. The qualitative data was analyzed in three rounds: inductive codebook development, application of the codebook, and thematic synthesis to contextualize the quantitative results and better understand the perspectives of the mothers regarding maternal and child health issues and the local health services. Results Overall, reported health service utilization among study participants was relatively high. However, the mothers identified several individual- and contextual-level factors that may affect their experiences and the health-seeking behaviors of other mothers in their communities: (i) embarrassment, fear, and trust, (ii) insufficient number and poor attitudes of health personnel, (iii) limited supply of basic medicines and materials in the health facility, and (iv) low demand for family planning services and limited awareness of adolescent-specific services. Conclusion Several findings in the current study reflect the reduced conditions of health services, while others display that many mothers maintain a positive outlook on the health services available to them and are proactive in the care of their child. The study provides valuable insight into the use of local health services and the common perspectives that are hindering further uptake at the community level in the Amazon of Peru, with important implications for health policy.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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