Women's experiences of receiving antenatal and intrapartum care during COVID-19 at public hospitals in the Sidama region, Ethiopia: A qualitative study using the combination of three delay and social-ecological framework (hybrid framework).

Kassa, ZY; Scarf, V; Turkmani, S; Fox, D

Women's experiences of receiving antenatal and intrapartum care during COVID-19 at public hospitals in the Sidama region, Ethiopia: A qualitative study using the combination of three delay and social-ecological framework (hybrid framework).

Kassa, ZY Scarf, V Turkmani, S

Fox, D

Permalink

Publisher:: SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Womens Health (Lond), 2024, 20, pp. 17455057241274898
Issue Date:: 2024

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (1.63 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kassa, ZY
dc.contributor.author	Scarf, V
dc.contributor.author	Turkmani, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7819-5061
dc.contributor.author	Fox, D
dc.date.accessioned	2024-10-09T01:14:47Z
dc.date.available	2024-10-09T01:14:47Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.citation	Womens Health (Lond), 2024, 20, pp. 17455057241274898
dc.identifier.issn	1745-5057
dc.identifier.issn	1745-5065
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/181295
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, drought and internal conflict have worsened Ethiopia's already weak healthcare system. Antenatal and intrapartum care are especially prone to interruption under these circumstances. OBJECTIVE: To explore women's experiences receiving antenatal and intrapartum care during the pandemic. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative approach was utilised. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with 17 women and held 4 focus group discussions with women who gave birth at 4 public hospitals during the pandemic. A study was conducted at four public hospitals in the Sidama region of Ethiopia, during which data were collected from 14 February to 10 May 2022. Thematic analysis was performed to generate themes. RESULTS: The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia presented several barriers to access and uptake of antenatal and intrapartum care at public hospitals. Four themes and 10 subthemes emerged from the thematic analysis. The themes were 'Barriers to maternity care uptake during COVID-19', 'Shortage of resources during COVID-19', 'Delays in maternity care uptake during COVID-19' and 'Mistreatment of women during maternity care during COVID-19'. The subthemes included 'Fear of contracting COVID-19', 'People in the hospital neglecting COVID-19 prevention', 'Women losing their job during COVID-19', 'Shortage of beds in the labour ward', 'Shortage of medical supplies', 'Delays in seeking care', 'Delays in receiving care', 'Complications during childbirth', 'disrespectful' and 'suboptimal care'. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study underscore the impact of COVID-19 on antenatal and intrapartum care, leading to delays in seeking and receiving care due to reduced rapport, resource shortages, companion restrictions, disrespectful care and suboptimal care. These factors contribute to increased obstetric complications during COVID-19. It is imperative for policymakers to prioritise essential resources for antenatal and intrapartum care in the present and future pandemics. Moreover, healthcare providers should maintain respectful and optimal care even amid challenges.
dc.format	Print
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Womens Health (Lond)
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1177/17455057241274898
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, 1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.classification	Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
dc.subject.classification	3215 Reproductive medicine
dc.subject.classification	4206 Public health
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	Ethiopia
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy
dc.subject.mesh	Hospitals, Public
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Prenatal Care
dc.subject.mesh	Focus Groups
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services Accessibility
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Maternal Health Services
dc.subject.mesh	Perinatal Care
dc.subject.mesh	Patient Acceptance of Health Care
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Perinatal Care
dc.subject.mesh	Prenatal Care
dc.subject.mesh	Focus Groups
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Hospitals, Public
dc.subject.mesh	Maternal Health Services
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services Accessibility
dc.subject.mesh	Patient Acceptance of Health Care
dc.subject.mesh	Ethiopia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	Ethiopia
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy
dc.subject.mesh	Hospitals, Public
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Prenatal Care
dc.subject.mesh	Focus Groups
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Health Services Accessibility
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Maternal Health Services
dc.subject.mesh	Perinatal Care
dc.subject.mesh	Patient Acceptance of Health Care
dc.title	Women's experiences of receiving antenatal and intrapartum care during COVID-19 at public hospitals in the Sidama region, Ethiopia: A qualitative study using the combination of three delay and social-ecological framework (hybrid framework).
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	20
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2024-10-09T01:14:43Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	20

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, drought and internal conflict have worsened Ethiopia's already weak healthcare system. Antenatal and intrapartum care are especially prone to interruption under these circumstances. OBJECTIVE: To explore women's experiences receiving antenatal and intrapartum care during the pandemic. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative approach was utilised. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with 17 women and held 4 focus group discussions with women who gave birth at 4 public hospitals during the pandemic. A study was conducted at four public hospitals in the Sidama region of Ethiopia, during which data were collected from 14 February to 10 May 2022. Thematic analysis was performed to generate themes. RESULTS: The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia presented several barriers to access and uptake of antenatal and intrapartum care at public hospitals. Four themes and 10 subthemes emerged from the thematic analysis. The themes were 'Barriers to maternity care uptake during COVID-19', 'Shortage of resources during COVID-19', 'Delays in maternity care uptake during COVID-19' and 'Mistreatment of women during maternity care during COVID-19'. The subthemes included 'Fear of contracting COVID-19', 'People in the hospital neglecting COVID-19 prevention', 'Women losing their job during COVID-19', 'Shortage of beds in the labour ward', 'Shortage of medical supplies', 'Delays in seeking care', 'Delays in receiving care', 'Complications during childbirth', 'disrespectful' and 'suboptimal care'. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study underscore the impact of COVID-19 on antenatal and intrapartum care, leading to delays in seeking and receiving care due to reduced rapport, resource shortages, companion restrictions, disrespectful care and suboptimal care. These factors contribute to increased obstetric complications during COVID-19. It is imperative for policymakers to prioritise essential resources for antenatal and intrapartum care in the present and future pandemics. Moreover, healthcare providers should maintain respectful and optimal care even amid challenges.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/181295