Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda
Background The World Health Organization recommends the implementation of maternity waiting homes (MWH) to reduce delays in access to obstetric care, particularly for high-risk pregnancies and mothers living far from health facilities, and as a result, several countries have rolled out MWHs. However...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Global Health Action |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2023.2210881 |
| _version_ | 1827379127694393344 |
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| author | Edwin Tayebwa Samwel Maina Gatimu Richard Kalisa Young-Mi Kim Jeroen van Dillen Jelle Stekelenburg |
| author_facet | Edwin Tayebwa Samwel Maina Gatimu Richard Kalisa Young-Mi Kim Jeroen van Dillen Jelle Stekelenburg |
| author_sort | Edwin Tayebwa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The World Health Organization recommends the implementation of maternity waiting homes (MWH) to reduce delays in access to obstetric care, particularly for high-risk pregnancies and mothers living far from health facilities, and as a result, several countries have rolled out MWHs. However, Rwanda has not implemented this recommendation on a large scale. There is only one MWH in the country, hence a gap in knowledge regarding the potential utilisation and benefits of MWHs. Objective To explore providers’ and clients’ perspectives on facilitators and barriers to the use of MWH in rural Rwanda. Methods We conducted a qualitative study to explore health providers’ and clients’ perspectives on facilitators and barriers to the use of MWH in Rwanda, between December 2020 and January 2021. We used key informant interviews and focus group discussions to collect data. Data were analysed using NVivo qualitative analysis software version 11. Results Facilitators included perceptions that the MWH offered either a peaceful and home-like environment, good-quality services, or timely obstetric services, and was associated with good maternal and neonatal outcomes. Barriers included limited awareness of the MWH among pregnant women, fear of health providers to operate the MWH at full capacity, women’s lack of autonomy, uncertainty over funding for the MWH, and perceived high user fees. Conclusion The Ruli MWH offers a peaceful environment for pregnant women while providing quality and timely obstetric care, resulting in positive maternal and neonatal outcomes for women. However, its existence and benefits are not widely known, and its use is limited due to inadequate resources. There is a need for increased awareness of the MWH among healthcare providers and the community, and lessons from this MWH could inform the scale up of MWHs in Rwanda. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T13:07:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d5c40f18d75048038eddad7f64fa1153 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1654-9880 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T13:07:41Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Health Action |
| spelling | doaj.art-d5c40f18d75048038eddad7f64fa11532024-01-18T15:58:24ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802023-12-0116110.1080/16549716.2023.22108812210881Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural RwandaEdwin Tayebwa0Samwel Maina Gatimu1Richard Kalisa2Young-Mi Kim3Jeroen van Dillen4Jelle Stekelenburg5University Medical Centre GroningenDiabetes Foot Foundation of KenyaUniversity of RwandaJohns Hopkins UniversityRadboudumc NijmegenUniversity Medical Centre GroningenBackground The World Health Organization recommends the implementation of maternity waiting homes (MWH) to reduce delays in access to obstetric care, particularly for high-risk pregnancies and mothers living far from health facilities, and as a result, several countries have rolled out MWHs. However, Rwanda has not implemented this recommendation on a large scale. There is only one MWH in the country, hence a gap in knowledge regarding the potential utilisation and benefits of MWHs. Objective To explore providers’ and clients’ perspectives on facilitators and barriers to the use of MWH in rural Rwanda. Methods We conducted a qualitative study to explore health providers’ and clients’ perspectives on facilitators and barriers to the use of MWH in Rwanda, between December 2020 and January 2021. We used key informant interviews and focus group discussions to collect data. Data were analysed using NVivo qualitative analysis software version 11. Results Facilitators included perceptions that the MWH offered either a peaceful and home-like environment, good-quality services, or timely obstetric services, and was associated with good maternal and neonatal outcomes. Barriers included limited awareness of the MWH among pregnant women, fear of health providers to operate the MWH at full capacity, women’s lack of autonomy, uncertainty over funding for the MWH, and perceived high user fees. Conclusion The Ruli MWH offers a peaceful environment for pregnant women while providing quality and timely obstetric care, resulting in positive maternal and neonatal outcomes for women. However, its existence and benefits are not widely known, and its use is limited due to inadequate resources. There is a need for increased awareness of the MWH among healthcare providers and the community, and lessons from this MWH could inform the scale up of MWHs in Rwanda.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2023.2210881perceptionsfacilitatorsbarriersmaternity waiting home useprovider and client perspectives |
| spellingShingle | Edwin Tayebwa Samwel Maina Gatimu Richard Kalisa Young-Mi Kim Jeroen van Dillen Jelle Stekelenburg Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda Global Health Action perceptions facilitators barriers maternity waiting home use provider and client perspectives |
| title | Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda |
| title_full | Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda |
| title_fullStr | Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda |
| title_short | Provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural Rwanda |
| title_sort | provider and client perspectives on the use of maternity waiting homes in rural rwanda |
| topic | perceptions facilitators barriers maternity waiting home use provider and client perspectives |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2023.2210881 |
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