Determinants of timely access to care for prenatal and postnatal services in Malawi by Liness Kataika

Kataika, Liness

Determinants of timely access to care for prenatal and postnatal services in Malawi by Liness Kataika

Date

11-08-21

Authors

Kataika, Liness

Publisher

Kamuzu University of Health Sciencies

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Type of study This is the cross sectional qualitative study that will utilize secondary data from a study titled “Integrating a neonatal Health care package for Malawi,” 2018-May 2020 Background Problem Timely access to prenatal and postnatal services is a key to maternal health services that can significantly help reduce maternal mortality. However, timely access to maternal and neonatal care services has always been a challenge in Malawi due to several factors. Understanding the factors that hinder timely access to service utilization helps to design appropriate strategies and policies towards improvement of services utilization and thereby reduce maternal mortality. Objective The objective of this study is to determine factors that affect timely access to prenatal and postnatal services in Malawi. Methodology This is the cross sectional qualitative study that will use secondary data from a study titled “Integrating a neonatal Health care package for Malawi”2018-May 2020). Data will be taken from the primary owner and will be analyzed thematically. Measures to ensure confidentiality will be followed throughout the period and there after Ethical approval will be sought from ethics committee COMREC Dissemination of expected find. Study design This is the cross sectional qualitative study that will utilize secondary data from a study titled “Integrating a neonatal Health care package for Malawi”2018-May 2020). The qualitative study was employed to fully gather the information from parents and guardians of neonates who are receiving care using the interventions under observation. Study Place This was a qualitative study conducted in 3 public Health facilities (Mulanje, Chikwawa and one central hospital in Blantyre Urban (Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital) and one private health facility (Mission hospital) Holy family hospital in Phalombe in Malawi from May 2018- May 2020. Study Population, Study Period, Sample Size, Data collection and management The study targeted Health Care workers, Mothers of Neonates, Fathers of Neonates, and Elderly Women or grandmothers in the southern rejoin of Malawi. The study from Nov 2020- June 2021. Participants were sampled purposively using maximum variation. Data will be taken from primary owner and permission already granted. Data will be managed manually Data analysis Data will be analyzed thematically. The extraction of data from primary data will be done guided by the coding guide which has been developed guided by the conceptual framework of the study [32]. Both inductive and deductive approach to the analysis will be employed.