R N Ogu1, L F C Ntoimo2, F E Okonofua3. 1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria; Women's Health and Action Research Centre/WHO/FMOH/MNCH Implementation Research Group, Benin City, Nigeria; Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Electronic address: rosemary.ogu@uniport.edu.ng. 2. Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria; Women's Health and Action Research Centre/WHO/FMOH/MNCH Implementation Research Group, Benin City, Nigeria. Electronic address: ntoimo.lorretta@fuoye.edu.ng. 3. University of Medical Sciences, Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria; Women's Health and Action Research Centre/WHO/FMOH/MNCH Implementation Research Group, Benin City, Nigeria; Centre of Excellence in Reproductive Health Innovation, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Electronic address: feokonofua@yahoo.co.uk.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: of the study was to explore women's perception of maternal health care providers' workload and its effects on the delivery of maternal healthcare in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. RESEARCH DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: five focus groups discussions (FGDs) were conducted with women in each of eight secondary and tertiary hospitals in 8 States in four geo-political zones of the country. In all, 40 FGDs were held with women attending antenatal and post-natal clinics in the hospitals. We elicited information on women's perceptions of workloads of maternal health providers and the effects of the workloads on maternity care. The discussions were audio-taped and transcribed while thematic analysis was carried out using Atlas.ti computer software. FINDINGS: the majority of the participants submitted that the health providers are burdened with heavy workloads in the provision of maternal health care. Examples of heavy workload cited included complaints from health providers, evidence of stress and strain in care provision by providers and the sheer numbers of patients that are left unattended to in health facilities. Poor quality care, insufficient time to carry out necessary investigations on patients, and prolonged waiting time experienced by women in accessing care featured as consequences of heavy workload, with the secondary result that women are reluctant to seek care in the health facilities because of the belief that they would spend a long time in receiving care. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: we conclude that women are concerned about heavy workloads experienced by healthcare providers and may partly account for the low utilization of referral health facilities for maternal health care in Nigeria. Efforts to address this problem should include purposeful human resource policy development, the development of incentives for health providers, and the proper re-organization of the health system.
OBJECTIVE: of the study was to explore women's perception of maternal health care providers' workload and its effects on the delivery of maternal healthcare in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. RESEARCH DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: five focus groups discussions (FGDs) were conducted with women in each of eight secondary and tertiary hospitals in 8 States in four geo-political zones of the country. In all, 40 FGDs were held with women attending antenatal and post-natal clinics in the hospitals. We elicited information on women's perceptions of workloads of maternal health providers and the effects of the workloads on maternity care. The discussions were audio-taped and transcribed while thematic analysis was carried out using Atlas.ti computer software. FINDINGS: the majority of the participants submitted that the health providers are burdened with heavy workloads in the provision of maternal health care. Examples of heavy workload cited included complaints from health providers, evidence of stress and strain in care provision by providers and the sheer numbers of patients that are left unattended to in health facilities. Poor quality care, insufficient time to carry out necessary investigations on patients, and prolonged waiting time experienced by women in accessing care featured as consequences of heavy workload, with the secondary result that women are reluctant to seek care in the health facilities because of the belief that they would spend a long time in receiving care. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: we conclude that women are concerned about heavy workloads experienced by healthcare providers and may partly account for the low utilization of referral health facilities for maternal health care in Nigeria. Efforts to address this problem should include purposeful human resource policy development, the development of incentives for health providers, and the proper re-organization of the health system.
Authors: Friday E Okonofua; Lorretta Favour C Ntoimo; Bola F Ekezue; Victor Ohenhen; Kingsley Agholor; Brian Igboin; Kenneth Maduako; Wilson Imongan; Yagana Gidago; Hadiza Galadanci; Rosemary Ogu Journal: Glob Health Action Date: 2020-12-31 Impact factor: 2.640
Authors: Friday E Okonofua; Rosemary N Ogu; Lorretta F Ntoimo; Mohammed Gana; Ola N Okike; Adetoye Durodola; Hadiza S Galadanci Journal: Ghana Med J Date: 2018-03