Mheta, D.; Sibiya, M.N.; Nkosi, P.B. Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services: A South African Case Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 6966.
Mheta, D.; Sibiya, M.N.; Nkosi, P.B. Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services: A South African Case Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6966.
Mheta, D.; Sibiya, M.N.; Nkosi, P.B. Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services: A South African Case Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2023, 20, 6966.
Mheta, D.; Sibiya, M.N.; Nkosi, P.B. Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Accessing Maternal Healthcare Services: A South African Case Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 6966.
Abstract
Access to maternal healthcare services is a challenge in most low and middle-income countries. South Africa is one of the countries striving to improve the accessibility of maternal healthcare services. Although South Africa has put some interventions to improve the accessibility of maternal healthcare services, vulnerable women including women with disabilities are still facing numerous challenges when trying to access maternal healthcare services. The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of women with disabilities in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in accessing public maternal healthcare services. Twelve women with disabilities (four with physical impairments, four with hearing impairments and four with visual impairments) were interviewed for this study. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed utilising the Framework of Assessing Access to Maternal Healthcare Services by Peters et al. 2008. The study found that narrow passages and information in inaccessible formats were a challenge for women with visual impairments. The women with hearing impairments had challenges in communication as most facilities did not have sign language interpreters, negative attitudes of health care workers and being ignored when they asked for help. The women with physical impairments encountered inaccessible buildings, narrow passages, small consultation rooms and equipment which is not adjustable such as beds and scales.
Keywords
disability; maternal health; maternal health care services; pregnancy; access
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
