The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services
<h4>Background</h4> As the largest professional group, nurses and midwives play instrumental roles in healthcare delivery, supporting the smooth administration and operation of the health system. Consequently, the withdrawal of nursing and midwifery services via strike action has direct...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9565728/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1828103866424492032 |
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| author | Perpetual Ofori Ampofo David Tenkorang-Twum Samuel Adjorlolo Margaretta Gloria Chandi Francis Kwaku Wuni Ernestina Asiedu Vida Ami Kukula Sampson Opoku |
| author_facet | Perpetual Ofori Ampofo David Tenkorang-Twum Samuel Adjorlolo Margaretta Gloria Chandi Francis Kwaku Wuni Ernestina Asiedu Vida Ami Kukula Sampson Opoku |
| author_sort | Perpetual Ofori Ampofo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4> As the largest professional group, nurses and midwives play instrumental roles in healthcare delivery, supporting the smooth administration and operation of the health system. Consequently, the withdrawal of nursing and midwifery services via strike action has direct and indirect detrimental effects on access to healthcare. <h4>Objective</h4> The current study examined the impact of strike action by nurses and midwives with respect to access to and use of health services. <h4>Method</h4> Data were collected retrospectively from a total of 181 health facilities from all the 16 administrative regions of Ghana, with the support of field officers. Because the strike lasted for 3 days, the data collection span three consecutive days before the strike, three days of the strike and three consecutive days after the strike. Data analysis was focused comparing the utilization of healthcare services before, during and after strike. Data were analysed and presented on the various healthcare services. This was done separately for the health facility type and the 16 administrative regions. <h4>Findings</h4> The results showed that; (1) the average number of patients or clients who accessed healthcare services reduced drastically during the strike period, compared with before the strike. Majority of the regions recorded more than 70% decrease in service use during the strike period; (2) the average number of patients or clients who accessed healthcare services after the strike increased by more than 100% across majority of the regions. <h4>Conclusion</h4> The study showed that strike action by nurses and midwives negatively affected access to and utilization of healthcare services. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:32:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75a50f84231b4d38810185809567f49c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T09:32:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-75a50f84231b4d38810185809567f49c2022-12-22T04:31:50ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011710The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare servicesPerpetual Ofori AmpofoDavid Tenkorang-TwumSamuel AdjorloloMargaretta Gloria ChandiFrancis Kwaku WuniErnestina AsieduVida Ami KukulaSampson Opoku<h4>Background</h4> As the largest professional group, nurses and midwives play instrumental roles in healthcare delivery, supporting the smooth administration and operation of the health system. Consequently, the withdrawal of nursing and midwifery services via strike action has direct and indirect detrimental effects on access to healthcare. <h4>Objective</h4> The current study examined the impact of strike action by nurses and midwives with respect to access to and use of health services. <h4>Method</h4> Data were collected retrospectively from a total of 181 health facilities from all the 16 administrative regions of Ghana, with the support of field officers. Because the strike lasted for 3 days, the data collection span three consecutive days before the strike, three days of the strike and three consecutive days after the strike. Data analysis was focused comparing the utilization of healthcare services before, during and after strike. Data were analysed and presented on the various healthcare services. This was done separately for the health facility type and the 16 administrative regions. <h4>Findings</h4> The results showed that; (1) the average number of patients or clients who accessed healthcare services reduced drastically during the strike period, compared with before the strike. Majority of the regions recorded more than 70% decrease in service use during the strike period; (2) the average number of patients or clients who accessed healthcare services after the strike increased by more than 100% across majority of the regions. <h4>Conclusion</h4> The study showed that strike action by nurses and midwives negatively affected access to and utilization of healthcare services.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9565728/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Perpetual Ofori Ampofo David Tenkorang-Twum Samuel Adjorlolo Margaretta Gloria Chandi Francis Kwaku Wuni Ernestina Asiedu Vida Ami Kukula Sampson Opoku The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services PLoS ONE |
| title | The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services |
| title_full | The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services |
| title_fullStr | The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services |
| title_short | The impact of strike action by Ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services |
| title_sort | impact of strike action by ghana registered nurses and midwives on the access to and utilization of healthcare services |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9565728/?tool=EBI |
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