Preferred Healthcare Provider Research Articles

Perceptions and practices of private medical practitioners to adolescent reproductive health in Lagos State, Nigeria

Adolescent sexual and reproductive ill health is a major global public health issue, contributing to high levels of morbidity and mortality in adolescents. Although adolescents are known to have low levels of doctor consultations, private medical practitioners remain the preferred health care providers. This study was carried out to document the attitudes and experiences of private medical practitioners to adolescent reproductive health issues and to assess the factors that may influence their attitudes. Information was obtained from a random sample of 187 out of 352 (53% ) registered private medical practitioners in 5 of the 20 Local Government Areas in Lagos State using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Sixty-two per cent of the doctors claimed they saw adolescents regularly, mainly for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Many (86% ) believed that adolescents should use contraception and suggested that parents, teachers and health workers provide sexuality information to adolescents. Sixty one percent of the practitioners believed that abortion should be legalised, though with restrictions. Many of them admitted to providing post abortion care to adolescents. The religious affiliation of the private medical practitioners influenced their perception and practices. Improving the reproductive health care of adolescents is key to improving the world's future economic and social well being. It is recommended that appropriate sexuality education be made widely available to adolescents. In addition, private medical practitioners should strengthen their skills and be more actively involved in the care of adolescents by making their facilities more adolescent friendly.

Prenatal and postnatal anxiety in Mexican women giving birth in Los Angeles.

Examined psychosocial factors related to prenatal and postnatal anxiety in 291 primiparous Mexican women giving birth in Los Angeles. Characteristics of health care providers preferred by more anxious and less anxious women were also assessed. Higher prenatal anxiety was associated with less desire for an active role during labor, lower assertiveness, higher pain expectation at delivery, lack of support from family members other than the husband, and preferences for health care providers who are female and Latino. All groups of women preferred health care providers who provided good medical explanations and who were knowledgeable, friendly, and sympathetic. Postnatal anxiety was significantly lower than prenatal anxiety. Negative attitudes toward the baby and number of complications during labor and delivery, however, were related to postnatal anxiety adjusted for prenatal anxiety.

Examining the Health-Seeking Behaviours of Migrant Female Head Porters in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

This study is a follow-up to an earlier publication which looked at migrant female head porters' enrolment in, renewal and utilisation of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Kumasi Metropolis. Head porterage in the large urban markets in Ghana comes with several health issues. Research has shown that migrant female head porters are exposed to several physical, social and psychological health risks in their daily encounters with clients. This research, therefore, aims at examining the health-seeking behaviours of migrant female head porters in the Kumasi metropolis using the dimensions of availability, accessibility, affordability, accommodation and acceptability. The researcher used the cross-sectional survey in the context of quantitative approaches. A total of 378 respondents were sampled from the following markets (Asafo, Adum shopping centres, Bantama and Kejetia) in which the migrant female head porters operate through convenient snowball sampling technique. Charts, percentages and tables were used in the data analysis. The study uncovered that the most (67%) preferred healthcare provider among the female head porters was over-the-counter chemical seller. Meanwhile, these service providers pose a serious health risk as they constitute a major source of self-medication. Further discoveries showed that affordability was the primary constraint to quality health-care as 76% of the respondents bemoaned charges at healthcare facilities. The study recommends a comprehensive policy interventions to enhance mass enrolment of female head porters unto the National Health Insurance Scheme to reduce the cost of healthcare among head porters. Finally, to protect the interest of the female head porters, they should form a well-structured and coordinated association to give them a united front to pursue their collective interest and protect them from the challenges they face including the difficulties they face in accessing healthcare.