Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies
Background The COVID-19 pandemic causes new challenges to women and their babies who still need to access postnatal care amidst the crisis. The novel application of social network technologies (SNTs) could potentially enhance access to healthcare during this difficult time. Objectives This study des...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Digital Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221086769 |
| _version_ | 1818271762047041536 |
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| author | Angella Musiimenta Wilson Tumuhimbise Esther C Atukunda Sandrah Ayebaza Phionah Kobutungi Aaron T Mugaba Justus Asasira Godfrey R Mugyenyi Jane Katusiime Raphael Zender Niels Pinkwart Jessica E Haberer |
| author_facet | Angella Musiimenta Wilson Tumuhimbise Esther C Atukunda Sandrah Ayebaza Phionah Kobutungi Aaron T Mugaba Justus Asasira Godfrey R Mugyenyi Jane Katusiime Raphael Zender Niels Pinkwart Jessica E Haberer |
| author_sort | Angella Musiimenta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The COVID-19 pandemic causes new challenges to women and their babies who still need to access postnatal care amidst the crisis. The novel application of social network technologies (SNTs) could potentially enhance access to healthcare during this difficult time. Objectives This study describes the challenges experienced in accessing maternal and child health services by women with limited or no education during this COVID-19 pandemic and discusses the potential of SNTs to support maternal and child health amidst this crisis. Methods We administered surveys to women who had recently given birth in a rural setting and interviewed a purposively selected subset to ascertain their experiences of accessing maternal and child health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis involved descriptive analysis of quantitative data using STATA 13 to describe study participants’ characteristics, and content analysis of qualitative data to derive categories describing maternal health challenges. Results Among 50 women, the median age was 28 years (interquartile range 24–34), 42 (84%) completed upper primary education. Access to the health facility was constrained by transport challenges, fear of contracting COVID-19, and delays at the facility. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, 42 (84%) women missed facility visits, 46 (92%) experienced financial distress, 43 (86%) had food insecurity, and 44 (88%) felt stressed. SNTs can facilitate remote and timely access to health services and information, and enable virtual social connections and support. Conclusion SNTs have the potential to mitigate the challenges faced in accessing maternal and child health services amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T21:31:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e0d557134f743a49ae444aae2781a59 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-2076 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T21:31:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Digital Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e0d557134f743a49ae444aae2781a592022-12-22T00:11:18ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762022-03-01810.1177/20552076221086769Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologiesAngella Musiimenta0Wilson Tumuhimbise1Esther C Atukunda2Sandrah Ayebaza3Phionah Kobutungi4Aaron T Mugaba5 Justus Asasira6Godfrey R Mugyenyi7Jane Katusiime8Raphael Zender9Niels Pinkwart10Jessica E Haberer11 Angels Compassion Organization, Uganda , Uganda , Uganda , Uganda , Uganda Angels Compassion Organization, Uganda , Uganda , Uganda , Uganda , Germany , Germany Center for Global Health, USABackground The COVID-19 pandemic causes new challenges to women and their babies who still need to access postnatal care amidst the crisis. The novel application of social network technologies (SNTs) could potentially enhance access to healthcare during this difficult time. Objectives This study describes the challenges experienced in accessing maternal and child health services by women with limited or no education during this COVID-19 pandemic and discusses the potential of SNTs to support maternal and child health amidst this crisis. Methods We administered surveys to women who had recently given birth in a rural setting and interviewed a purposively selected subset to ascertain their experiences of accessing maternal and child health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis involved descriptive analysis of quantitative data using STATA 13 to describe study participants’ characteristics, and content analysis of qualitative data to derive categories describing maternal health challenges. Results Among 50 women, the median age was 28 years (interquartile range 24–34), 42 (84%) completed upper primary education. Access to the health facility was constrained by transport challenges, fear of contracting COVID-19, and delays at the facility. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, 42 (84%) women missed facility visits, 46 (92%) experienced financial distress, 43 (86%) had food insecurity, and 44 (88%) felt stressed. SNTs can facilitate remote and timely access to health services and information, and enable virtual social connections and support. Conclusion SNTs have the potential to mitigate the challenges faced in accessing maternal and child health services amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221086769 |
| spellingShingle | Angella Musiimenta Wilson Tumuhimbise Esther C Atukunda Sandrah Ayebaza Phionah Kobutungi Aaron T Mugaba Justus Asasira Godfrey R Mugyenyi Jane Katusiime Raphael Zender Niels Pinkwart Jessica E Haberer Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies Digital Health |
| title | Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies |
| title_full | Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies |
| title_fullStr | Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies |
| title_short | Challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during COVID-19 and the potential role of social networking technologies |
| title_sort | challenges in accessing maternal and child health services during covid 19 and the potential role of social networking technologies |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221086769 |
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