Abstract
Systematic assessments of individual-and community-level barriers to surgical care (BSC) in low-and middle-income countries that might inform potential interventions are lacking. We used a novel tool to assess BSC systematically during a surgical outreach in two communities in Upper West region, Ghana. Results were scored in three dimensions of barriers to care (acceptability, affordability, and accessibility); higher dimension scores signified less salient barriers. A total index out of 10 was derived. In total, 169 individuals participated in Nadowli (68, 40%) and in Nandom (101, 60%). Nadowli had fewer BSC than Nandom (median index 7.8 vs 7.2; p < .001). Dimension scores ranged from 10.8 to 14.5 out of 18 points. Fear or mistrust of surgical care and stigma were reported more frequently in Nandom (p < .001). Reported barriers were not always the same in each community. Systematically defining barriers to essential surgical care provides an opportunity for planning targeted interventions at the community-level.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of health care for the poor and underserved
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
