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“We are the ones who should make the decision” – knowledge and understanding of the rights-based approach to maternity care among women and healthcare providers

Jolly, Yasmin, Aminu, Mamuda ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2335-7147, Mgawadere, Florence ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3341-9118 and van den Broek, Nynke ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8523-2684 (2019) '“We are the ones who should make the decision” – knowledge and understanding of the rights-based approach to maternity care among women and healthcare providers'. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, Vol 19, p. 42.

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Abstract

Background: Experiences and perceptions of poor quality of care is a powerful determinant of utilisation of maternity services. With many reports of disrespect and abuse in healthcare facilities in low-resource settings, women’s and healthcare providers’ understanding and perception of disrespect and abuse are important in eliminating disrespect and abuse, but these are rarely explored together.
Methods: This was a qualitative study assessing the continuum of maternity care (antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care) at the Maternity Unit of Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted separately for mothers attending antenatal clinic and those attending postnatal clinic. For women who accessed intrapartum care services, in-depth interviews were used.
Participants were recruited purposively. Key informant interviews were conducted with healthcare providers involved in the delivery of maternal and newborn health services. Topic guides were developed based on the seven domains of the Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Charter. Data was transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed using the thematic framework approach.
Results: A total of 8 focus group discussions and 9 in-depth interviews involving 64 women and 9 key informant interviews with health care providers were conducted. Important themes that emerged included: the importance of a valued patient-provider relationship as determined by a good attitude and method of communication, the need for more education of women regarding the stages of pregnancy and labour, what happens at each stage and which complications could occur, the importance of a woman’s involvement in decision-making, the need to maintain confidentiality when required and the problem of insufficient human resources. Prompt and timely service was considered a priority. Neither women accessing maternity care nor trained healthcare providers providing this care were aware of the RMC Charter.
Conclusions: This study has highlighted the most essential aspects of respectful maternity care from the viewpoint of both women accessing maternity care and healthcare providers. Although RMC components are in place, healthcare providers were not aware of them. There is the need to promote the RMC Charter among both women who seek care and healthcare providers.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: W General Medicine. Health Professions > Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy > W 85 Patients. Attitude and compliance
W General Medicine. Health Professions > Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy > W 84.4 Quality of Health Care
WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 310 Maternal welfare
WQ Obstetrics > Childbirth. Prenatal Care > WQ 175 Prenatal care
WQ Obstetrics > WQ 20 Research (General)
WQ Obstetrics > Pregnancy > WQ 200 General works
WQ Obstetrics > Pregnancy Complications > WQ 240 Pregnancy complications (General)
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-019-2189-7
Depositing User: Stacy Murtagh
Date Deposited: 15 Feb 2019 10:45
Last Modified: 20 Jun 2019 10:03
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/10173

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