Talk:Healthcare in Uganda

Proposed New Section on “Health Barriers in Uganda” Under Parent Article "Healthcare in Uganda"

I propose creating a section on the topic of “Health Barriers in Uganda”. The parent article is “Healthcare in Uganda”; while the article is of good quality and covers a wide range of subtopics, including reproductive health, gender-based violence, substance and drug use, the article is missing a section on the prevalent health barriers experienced by Ugandan residents. My interest in this topic stems from my experience this past summer as a Rice University Loewenstern Fellow in which I conducted civic research on this same topic. I would like to do the following:

·      Examine and contextualize the social determinants of health in Uganda

·      Assess these barriers with the backing of quantifiable evidence and scholarly articles

References

Musoke, D., Ssemugabo, C., Ndejjo, R. et al. Reflecting strategic and conforming gendered experiences of community health workers using photovoice in rural Wakiso district, Uganda. Hum Resour Health 16, 41 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-018-0306-8

• This article addresses how gendered care is normal in Uganda, with woman patients often seeking and preferring women care providers and men seeking males.

Musoke D, Boynton P, Butler C, Musoke MB. Health seeking behaviour and challenges in utilising health facilities in Wakiso district, Uganda. Afr Health Sci. 2014 Dec;14(4):1046-55. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v14i4.36. PMID: 25834516; PMCID: PMC4370086.

• This study finds that the prevalent health barriers in Wakiso district, Uganda include availability of drugs, limited knowledge on the presence of community health workers in the area, cost of services, limited knowledge on illness and wellbeing (correlating to education level), the use of cultural prescriptions and remedies, and the distance to service points and/or the lack of transportation. The article specifically highlights that drug availability, cost, and transportation to be the major barriers to healthcare access.

S.N. Kiwanuka, E.K. Ekirapa, S. Peterson, O. Okui, M. Hafizur Rahman, D. Peters, G.W. Pariyo, Access to and utilisation of health services for the poor in Uganda: a systematic review of available evidence, Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 102, Issue 11, November 2008, Pages 1067–1074, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.04.023

• This study also finds that the prevalent health barriers in Wakiso district, Uganda include availability of drugs, cost of services, limited knowledge on illness and wellbeing (correlating to education level), the use of cultural prescriptions and remedies, and the distance to service points and/or the lack of transportation. Further, it also cites perceived quality of care, perceived lack of skilled staff in ;public facilities, health worker attitude and treatment of patients, undersized health worker staff, and lack of attendance among health care workers to also be barriers.

Uldbjerg CS, Schramm S, Kaducu FO, Ovuga E, Sodemann M. Perceived barriers to utilization of antenatal care services in northern Uganda: A qualitative study. Sex Reprod Healthc. 2020 Mar;23:100464. doi: 10.1016/j.srhc.2019.100464. Epub 2019 Oct 25. PMID: 31710878.

• The study lists the three barriers to healthcare access, specifically antenatal care services in northern Uganda, to be distance and/or lack of transportation, perceived quality of care, and health worker attitude.

Mwaka AD, Walter FM, Scott S, Harries J, Wabinga H, Moodley J. Symptom appraisal, help-seeking and perceived barriers to healthcare seeking in Uganda: an exploratory study among women with potential symptoms of breast and cervical cancer. BMJ Open. 2021 Feb 5;11(2):e041365. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041365. PMID: 33550241; PMCID: PMC7925866.

• Drug availability, healthcare service costs, distance and/or lack of transportation, long wait times, and absence of healthcare workers are reported as barriers for women that may have breast and cervical cancer symptoms.

Dowhaniuk, N. Exploring country-wide equitable government health care facility access in Uganda. Int J Equity Health 20, 38 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01371-5

• This study reports the major barrier to accessing health care facilities in Uganda is distance and/or lack of transportation, as well as cost of services.

Barton SJ, Sandhu S, Doan I, Blanchard L, Dai A, Paulenich A, Smith ER, van de Water BJ, Martin AH, Seider J, Namaganda F, Opolot S, Ekeji N, Bility MM, Bettger JP. Perceived barriers and supports to accessing community-based services for Uganda's pediatric post-surgical population. Disabil Rehabil. 2021 Jul;43(15):2172-2183. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1694999. Epub 2019 Dec 15. PMID: 31841047.

• This study focuses on the barriers for community-based services for pediatric post-surgical population and finds that cost, availability, limited knowledge on illnesses, distance and/or lack of transportation, as well as undersized staff and stigma and discrimination surrounding treatment are barriers.

Psg2022 (talk) 02:07, 30 September 2022 (UTC)