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 |
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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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