Nazmul Alam1, Mahbub Elahi Chowdhury2, Seni Kouanda3, Mathieu Seppey4, Anadil Alam2, Justin Ragnessi Savadogo5, Drissa Sia6, Pierre Fournier4. 1. University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. Electronic address: nazmul.alam@umontreal.ca. 2. International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 3. Research Institute of Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; African Institute of Public Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Kaya Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Kaya, Burkina Faso. 4. University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. 5. African Institute of Public Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 6. Department of Nursing Science, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To understand the role of transportation in accessing health care during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period among women in rural Bangladesh and Burkina Faso. METHODS: An exploratory mixed methods study was conducted in Mymensingh district in Bangladesh and Kaya district in Burkina Faso. We recruited 300 women from Bangladesh and 340 from Burkina Faso with a delivery outcome within one year of interview. Key informant interviews were conducted with 19 participants and 12 focus group discussions took place with attendees in selected community clinics. RESULTS: Of the interviewees, 45.7% in Bangladesh and 73.2% in Burkina Faso reported having had health complications during their last pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum period. Of all women, 42.7% in Bangladesh and 67.4% in Burkina Faso sought facility care for their complications. Facility-based delivery was much higher in Burkina Faso (87.7%) than Bangladesh (38.2%). Literacy, transport availability, transportation costs, and travel time were associated with care seeking behavior. CONCLUSION: Lack of reliable transportation was reported as a significant barrier to accessing care during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum by women in Bangladesh and Burkina Faso. Effort should be made to improve access to emergency obstetric care, and transport intervention should be strengthened.
OBJECTIVE: To understand the role of transportation in accessing health care during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period among women in rural Bangladesh and Burkina Faso. METHODS: An exploratory mixed methods study was conducted in Mymensingh district in Bangladesh and Kaya district in Burkina Faso. We recruited 300 women from Bangladesh and 340 from Burkina Faso with a delivery outcome within one year of interview. Key informant interviews were conducted with 19 participants and 12 focus group discussions took place with attendees in selected community clinics. RESULTS: Of the interviewees, 45.7% in Bangladesh and 73.2% in Burkina Faso reported having had health complications during their last pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum period. Of all women, 42.7% in Bangladesh and 67.4% in Burkina Faso sought facility care for their complications. Facility-based delivery was much higher in Burkina Faso (87.7%) than Bangladesh (38.2%). Literacy, transport availability, transportation costs, and travel time were associated with care seeking behavior. CONCLUSION: Lack of reliable transportation was reported as a significant barrier to accessing care during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum by women in Bangladesh and Burkina Faso. Effort should be made to improve access to emergency obstetric care, and transport intervention should be strengthened.
Authors: Mark G Shrime; Mirjam Hamer; Swagoto Mukhopadhyay; Lauren M Kunz; Nathan H Claus; Kirsten Randall; Joannita H Jean-Baptiste; Pierre H Maevatombo; Melissa P S Toh; Jasmin R Biddell; Ria Bos; Michelle White Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2017-09-26
Authors: Takondwa Mwase; Stephan Brenner; Jacob Mazalale; Julia Lohmann; Saidou Hamadou; Serge M A Somda; Valery Ridde; Manuela De Allegri Journal: Int J Equity Health Date: 2018-05-11