Exploring the experiences of persons with mobility impairments in accessing health care in Cofimvaba, South Africa

Date
2021-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Persons with disabilities are experiencing difficulties when accessing health care due to barriers despite the existing policies. Persons with disabilities in urban areas experience fewer barriers in accessing health care as compared to those in rural areas. There still is inequality in accessing health care for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Some persons with disabilities stopped accessing public health care hence this study explored experiences of persons with mobility impairments in accessing health care who stopped accessing health care in Cofimvaba, a rural isiXhosa community in the Eastern Cape. Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to explore experiences of persons with mobility impairments in accessing health care as why persons with mobility impairments stopped accessing health care in Cofimvaba, Eastern Province, South Africa. Study Objectives ● To identify challenges faced by persons with mobility impairments in accessing health care in Cofimvaba. ● To explore why persons with mobility impairments stopped accessing health care in Cofimvaba. Method: A qualitative methodology was followed using a descriptive approach study design to explore lived experiences of persons with mobility impairment who stopped accessing health care before December 2018. Snowballing sampling was used which involved building a sample through referrals. Referrals were received from the Community Health Workers who identified participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in isiXhosa with five participants who stopped accessing health care using a self-developed interview guide. I used an inductive approach which is a bottom up approach, and data and themes were derived from the content of the data itself. Data analysis: The six phases of inductive thematic analysis, as a bottom up approach, was used to analyse all interview data. Findings: Themes that emerged from the semi-structured interviews conducted with participants revealed challenges experienced by PWDs in accessing health care. Persons with mobility impairments in Cofimvaba experienced major challenges such as geography (long distance,) broader transport challenges (lack of transport and accessibility of transport), indirect costs to care (transportation cost), not having sickness needs and minor challenges such as physical infrastructure difficulties (inaccessible toilets and acceptability issues), attitude of health professionals and attitudes of public taxi drivers during the process of accessing health facilities. Psychological and social factors Conclusion: The study findings indicated that persons with disabilities are experiencing a combination of structural environmental and service delivery process challenges, especially those in rural areas, when accessing health care that leads to them stopping to access health care. The recommendations include intervention strategies that will assist in improving access to health care for persons with disabilities in Cofimvaba.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Agterground: Persone met gestremdhede ervaar probleme met toegang tot gesondheidsorg weens hindernisse ten spyte van die bestaande beleid. Persone met gestremdhede in stedelike gebiede ervaar minder hindernisse in die toegang tot gesondheidsorg in vergelyking met die’ in landelike gebiede. Daar is steeds ongelykheid in toegang tot gesondheidsorg vir PWD’s ( persone met gestremdhede). Sommige persone met gestremdhede het opgehou om toegang tot openbare gesondheidsorg te kry, en daarom het hierdie studie die ervarings. Ondersoek van persone met mobiliteitsgestremdheid met toegang tot gesondheidsorg wat opgehou het om toegana tot gesondheidsorg te kry in Cofimvaba, ‘n landelike isiXhosa –gemeesnkap in Oos-Kaap. Doel van die studie: Die doel van die studie was om ervarings van persone met mobiliteitsgestremdhede met detrekking tot toegang tot gesondheidsorg in Cofimvaba, Os telike Provinsie, Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Studiedoelstellings: ● Om uitdagings waarvoor persone met mobiliteitsgestremdhede in die toegang tot gesondheidsorg in Cofimvaba te staan kom, te identifiseer . ● Om te ondersoek waarom persone met mobiliteitsgestremdhede nie meer totgang gesondheidsorg in Cofimvaba gehad het nie. Metode: ‘n Kwalitatiewe metdologie is gevolg deur gebruik te maak van ‘n beskrywende benaderingsstudie-ontwerp om die ervarings van persone met mobiliteitsgetremdheid te ondersoek wat voor Desember 2018 opgehou het om toegang tot gesondheidsorg te kry.Daar is gebruik gemaak van sneeubal-steekproefneming , wat die bou van ‘n moster deur middel van verwysings. Vewysings is ontvang van die Community Health Workers wat deelnemers geidentifiseer het. Semi-gestruktureede onderhoude is gevoer in isiXhosa met vyf deelnemers wat die toegang tot gesondheidsorg opgehou het met behulp van ‘n selfontwikkelde onderhoudsgids. Navorser het ‘n induktiewe benadering gebruik, wat van onder na bo is, data en temas is afgelei uit die inhound van ‘n selfontwikkelde onderhoudsgids. Navorser het ‘n induktiewe benadering gebruik, wat van onder na bo is, data en temas is afgelei uit die inhoud van die data self. Data-analise: Induktiewe tematiese analise, ‘n benadering van onder na bo is gebduik om data te analiseer. Die navorser het die ses fases gevolg tot termiese analise: ek het my vertroud gemaak met die data, begin kodes , soek temas, hersien temas, definieer en benoem temas en lewer’n verslag . Tematiese ontleding is toeganklink, buigsaam en geskik vir hierdie data. Bevindinge: Temas wat na vore gekom het uit semi gestruktureede onderhoud wat met deelnemers gevoer is, het uitdagings getoon wat PWD’s ervaar het om toegang tot gesondheidsorg te kry. Persone met mobiliteitsgestremdhede in Cofimvaba het groot uitagings ondervind , soos geografie (langafstand, terrein, gebrek aan vervoer), indirekte versorgingskoste vervoerkoste), sonder siektebehoeftes en geringe uitdagings soos fisiese infrastruktuurprobleme (onbereikbare toilette en aanvaarbaarheidskwessies (houdings van gesodheidswerkers, houdings van openbare taxibestuurders) tydens die toegang tot gesondheidsfasiliteite. Gevolgtrekking: Die bevindings van die studie het aangedui dat persone met gestremdhede ‘n kombinasie van uitdagings vir die omgewings –en diensleweringsproses ervaar, veral diegene in landelike gebiede wat toegang tot gesondheidsorg kry, wat daartoe lei dat toegang tot gesondheidsorg stop. Die aanbevelings sluits in intervensie- strategiee’ wat sal help om toetgang tot gesondheidsorg vir persone met gestremdhede in Cofimvaba te verbeter.
Description
Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Health services accessibility -- Cofimvaba (South Africa), People with disabilities -- Medical care -- Cofimvaba (South Africa), People with disabilities -- Services for -- Cofimvaba (South Africa), People with disabilities -- Orientation and mobility -- Cofimvaba (South Africa), UCTD
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