scholarly journals Access to health care for people with disabilities in rural Malawi: what are the barriers?

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine A. K. Harrison ◽  
Rachael Thomson ◽  
Hastings T. Banda ◽  
Grace B. Mbera ◽  
Stefanie Gregorius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Access To Health

scholarly journals Access to health care for people with disabilities in rural Malawi what are the barriers?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Harrison ◽  
Rachael Thomson ◽  
Hastings T. Banda ◽  
Grace B. Mbera ◽  
Stefanie Gregorius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Health Care Accessibility ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Lung Condition ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction People with disabilities experience significant health inequalities. In Malawi, where most individuals live in low-income rural settings, many of these inequalities are exacerbated by restricted access to health care services. This qualitative study explores the barriers to health care access experienced by individuals with a mobility or sensory impairment, or both, living in rural villages in Dowa district, central Malawi. In addition, the impact of a chronic lung condition, alongside an impairment, on health care accessibility is explored. Method Using data from survey responses obtained through the Research for Equity And Community Health (REACH) Trust’s randomised control trial in Malawi, 12 adult participants, with scores of either 3 or 4 in the Washington Group Questions, were recruited. People with cognitive impairments were excluded. Each of the selected participants underwent an individual in-depth interview and full recordings of these were then transcribed and translated. Findings and discussion Through thematic analysis of the transcripts, three main barriers to timely and adequate health care were identified: 1) Cost of transport, drugs and services, 2) Insufficient health care resources, and 3) Dependence on others. Other barriers identified were distance to a facility, which was most hindering for the participants with a chronic lung condition, and unfavourable health seeking behaviour, whilst ‘time’ was found to be a common underlying factor. Attitudinal factors were not found to influence health care accessibility for this cohort. Conclusions This study finds that health care access for people with disabilities in rural Malawi is hindered by closely interconnected financial, practical and social barriers. There is a clear requirement for policy makers to consider the challenges identified here, and in similar studies, and to address them through improved social security systems and health system infrastructure, including outreach services, in a drive for equitable health care access and provision.

scholarly journals Access to health care for people with disabilities in rural Malawi: what are the barriers?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Harrison ◽  
Rachael Thomson ◽  
Hastings T. Banda ◽  
Grace B. Mbera ◽  
Stefanie Gregorius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Health Care Accessibility ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background People with disabilities experience significant health inequalities. In Malawi, where most individuals live in low-income rural settings, many of these inequalities are exacerbated by restricted access to health care services. This qualitative study explores the barriers to health care access experienced by individuals with a mobility or sensory impairment, or both, living in rural villages in Dowa district, central Malawi. In addition, the impact of a chronic lung condition, alongside a mobility or sensory impairment, on health care accessibility is explored. Methods Using data from survey responses obtained through the Research for Equity And Community Health (REACH) Trust’s randomised control trial in Malawi, 12 adult participants, with scores of either 3 or 4 in the Washington Group Short Set (WGSS) questions, were recruited. The WGSS questions concern a person’s ability in core functional domains (including seeing, hearing and moving), and a score of 3 indicates ‘a lot of difficulty’ whilst 4 means ‘cannot do at all’. People with cognitive impairments were not included in this study. All who were selected for the study participated in an individual in-depth interview and full recordings of these were then transcribed and translated. Results Through thematic analysis of the transcripts, three main barriers to timely and adequate health care were identified: 1) Cost of transport, drugs and services, 2) Insufficient health care resources, and 3) Dependence on others. Attitudinal factors were explored and, whilst unfavourable health seeking behaviour was found to act as an access barrier for some participants, community and health care workers’ attitudes towards disability were not reported to influence health care accessibility in this study. Conclusions This study finds that health care access for people with disabilities in rural Malawi is hindered by closely interconnected financial, practical and social barriers. There is a clear requirement for policy makers to consider the challenges identified here, and in similar studies, and to address them through improved social security systems and health system infrastructure, including outreach services, in a drive for equitable health care access and provision.

Equity analysis of health system accessibility from perspective of people with disability

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 298-309
Author(s):  
Hussain Zandam ◽  
Muhamad Hanafiah Juni
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Health Care Delivery ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Physical Disabilities ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Access To Health

Purpose Self-evaluated access and accessibility has been found to be associated with healthcare seeking and quality of life. Studies have shown that, however, a vast majority of individuals with disability living in poor countries have limited access to healthcare influenced by several barriers. The purpose of this paper is to compare the perception of general accessibility of health care services and its association with access barriers and other contextual factors between people with physical disabilities and counterparts without disability. Design/methodology/approach This study is a cross sectional survey involving 213 individuals with physical disabilities and 213 counterparts without disability sampled using a multi-stage method. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with sections on socioeconomic and living conditions, education, health, employment and access to health care. Data analysis involved using χ2 for proportions and T-test and multiple regressions (stepwise) method to determine significant factors that influence perception on accessibility. Findings The study finds that people with disabilities fared worse in various socioeconomic factors such as education, employment, income and assets possession. People with disabilities also experience more dimensional barriers and reported poor health system accessibility. The difference in accessibility continued after adjusting for other variables, implying that there are more inherent factors that explain the perception of access for people with disabilities. Practical implications Governments should ensure equitable access to health care delivery for people with disabilities through equitable health policies and services that are responsive to the needs of people with disabilities and promote the creation of enabling environment to enhance participation in health care delivery. Originality/value The authors confirm that the paper has neither been submitted to peer review, nor is in the process of peer reviewing or accepted for publishing in another journal. The author(s) confirms that the research in this work is original, and that all the data given in the paper are real and authentic. If necessary, the paper can be recalled, and errors corrected. The undersigned authors transfer the copyright for this work to the International Journal of Health Governance. The authors are free of any personal or business association that could represent a conflict of interest regarding the paper submitted, and the authors have respected the research ethics principles.

Perspectives on Health Policy From People With Disabilities

2020 ◽  
pp. 104420732095667
Author(s):  
Sarah D. Smith ◽  
Jean P. Hall ◽  
Noelle K. Kurth
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Moral Issue ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Nationally Representative

People with disabilities are marginalized and face barriers to participation in society, including political participation and representation. While data indicate that people with disabilities have similar political preferences to the overall American population, little research has been conducted to assess the health policy views of people with disabilities in their own words. This study uses qualitative data collected between 2017 and 2019 via 35 telephone interviews and 484 open-ended responses from a nationally representative survey to analyze what people with disabilities would like policymakers to know about health care and health insurance for people with disabilities. Results reveal that this population’s perceptions of social exclusion and stigma inform what they would like to tell policymakers. In addition, people with disabilities were largely supportive of Affordable Care Act features and framed expanded or universal access to health care as a human right or a moral issue.

Accessible Health Care: More Than Just Getting Through the Door

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryle J. Gardner-Bonneau ◽  
June Isaacson Kailes
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Equipment ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facility ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Weight Scales

FEATURE AT A GLANCE: Access to health care requires more than mere access to a health care facility. It requires access to medical equipment and devices. Currently, many older adults and people with disabilities have difficulty accessing medical equipment, including examination chairs and tables, weight scales, and exercise and rehabilitation equipment. This article outlines the problem and its consequences for patients and describes the ergonomics requirements that must be met to ensure accessibility of this equipment for all patients.

scholarly journals Access to health care for people with disabilities in rural Malawi: what are the barriers?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Harrison ◽  
Rachael Thomson ◽  
Hastings T. Banda ◽  
Grace B. Mbera ◽  
Stefanie Gregorius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Randomised Control Trial ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Health Care Accessibility ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background People with disabilities experience significant health inequalities. In Malawi, where most individuals live in low-income rural settings, many of these inequalities are exacerbated by restricted access to health care services. This qualitative study explores the barriers to health care access experienced by individuals with a mobility or sensory impairment, or both, living in rural villages in Dowa district, central Malawi. In addition, the impact of a chronic lung condition, alongside a mobility or sensory impairment, on health care accessibility is explored. Methods Using data from survey responses obtained through the Research for Equity And Community Health (REACH) Trust’s randomised control trial in Malawi, 12 adult participants, with scores of either 3 or 4 in the Washington Group Short Set (WGSS) questions, were recruited. The WGSS questions concern a person’s ability in core functional domains (including seeing, hearing and moving), and a score of 3 indicates ‘a lot of difficulty’ whilst 4 means ‘cannot do at all’. People with cognitive impairments were not included in this study. All who were selected for the study participated in an individual in-depth interview and full recordings of these were then transcribed and translated. Results Through thematic analysis of the transcripts, three main barriers to timely and adequate health care were identified: 1) Cost of transport, drugs and services, 2) Insufficient health care resources, and 3) Dependence on others. Attitudinal factors were explored and, whilst unfavourable health seeking behaviour was found to act as an access barrier for some participants, community and health care workers’ attitudes towards disability were not reported to influence health care accessibility in this study. Conclusions This study finds that health care access for people with disabilities in rural Malawi is hindered by closely interconnected financial, practical and social barriers. There is a clear requirement for policy makers to consider the challenges identified here, and in similar studies, and to address them through improved social security systems and health system infrastructure, including outreach services, in a drive for equitable health care access and provision.

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