Affiliation:
1. Department of Community Medicine, Birsa Munda Government Medical College, Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, India
2. Department of Pathology, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
3. Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, India
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background:
Despite efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure and service delivery, significant disparities in healthcare utilization persist, leading to suboptimal health outcomes and hindering progress toward achieving universal health coverage. This research article aims to conduct a qualitative exploration of the under-foot fall in utilization of health services, shedding light on the barriers and challenges faced by individuals in accessing and utilizing health care to inform targeted interventions and improve health service utilization.
Methods:
This qualitative study employed free listing, pile sorting, and focus group discussions (FGDs) as data collection methods. Representatives from various stakeholders involved in the primary healthcare delivery system were selected based on their vocalness, knowledge, willingness to participate, and heterogeneity of responses. Subsequently, FGDs and key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted to further explore the identified barriers. The collected transcripts underwent manual thematic analysis using coding rules and theme generation procedures.
Results:
A total of 30 participants, including healthcare providers, community leaders, and individuals from the local community, took part in the qualitative exploration. The themes encompassed limited awareness and knowledge, geographical and infrastructural barriers, socioeconomic constraints, trust and perceptions of the healthcare system, and cultural and social factors. These findings provide valuable insights into the multifaceted barriers hindering healthcare utilization and can guide the development of targeted interventions and policies to improve healthcare access and delivery in the study area.
Conclusion:
The identified barriers, including limited awareness and knowledge, geographical and infrastructural challenges, socioeconomic constraints, trust and perceptions of the healthcare system, cultural and social factors, and gender disparities, are consistent with the existing literature.