Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan

Niamh Nic Carthaigh; Benoit De Gryse; Abdul Sattar Esmati; Barak Nizar; Catherine Van Overloop; Renzo Fricke; Jehan Bseiso; Corinne Baker; Tom Decroo; Mit Philips

doi:10.1093/inthealth/ihu086

Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan

Niamh Nic Carthaigh, Benoit De Gryse, Abdul Sattar Esmati, Barak Nizar, Catherine Van Overloop, Renzo Fricke, Jehan Bseiso, Corinne Baker, Tom Decroo, Mit Philips

Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Afghan population suffers from a long standing armed conflict. We investigated patients' experiences of their access to and use of the health services.

METHODS: Data were collected in four clinics from different provinces. Mixed methods were applied. The questions focused on access obstacles during the current health problem and health seeking behaviour during a previous illness episode of a household member.

RESULTS: To access the health facilities 71.8% (545/759) of patients experienced obstacles. The combination of long distances, high costs and the conflict deprived people of life-saving healthcare. The closest public clinics were underused due to perceptions regarding their lack of availability or quality of staff, services or medicines. For one in five people, a lack of access to health care had resulted in death among family members or close friends within the last year.

CONCLUSIONS: Violence continues to affect daily life and access to healthcare in Afghanistan. Moreover, healthcare provision is not adequately geared to meet medical and emergency needs. Impartial healthcare tailored to the context will be vital to increase access to basic and life-saving healthcare.

Original language	English
Journal	International Health
Volume	7
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	169-175
Number of pages	7
ISSN	1876-3413
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihu086
Publication status	Published - 2015
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Adolescent
Adult
Afghanistan
Ambulatory Care Facilities/standards
Armed Conflicts
Costs and Cost Analysis
Female
Health Personnel/standards
Health Services/standards
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Male
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Violence
Young Adult

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Nic Carthaigh, Niamh ; De Gryse, Benoit ; Esmati, Abdul Sattar ; Nizar, Barak ; Van Overloop, Catherine ; Fricke, Renzo ; Bseiso, Jehan ; Baker, Corinne ; Decroo, Tom ; Philips, Mit. / Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan. In: International Health. 2015 ; Vol. 7, No. 3. pp. 169-175.

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title = "Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: The Afghan population suffers from a long standing armed conflict. We investigated patients' experiences of their access to and use of the health services.METHODS: Data were collected in four clinics from different provinces. Mixed methods were applied. The questions focused on access obstacles during the current health problem and health seeking behaviour during a previous illness episode of a household member.RESULTS: To access the health facilities 71.8% (545/759) of patients experienced obstacles. The combination of long distances, high costs and the conflict deprived people of life-saving healthcare. The closest public clinics were underused due to perceptions regarding their lack of availability or quality of staff, services or medicines. For one in five people, a lack of access to health care had resulted in death among family members or close friends within the last year.CONCLUSIONS: Violence continues to affect daily life and access to healthcare in Afghanistan. Moreover, healthcare provision is not adequately geared to meet medical and emergency needs. Impartial healthcare tailored to the context will be vital to increase access to basic and life-saving healthcare.",

keywords = "Adolescent, Adult, Afghanistan, Ambulatory Care Facilities/standards, Armed Conflicts, Costs and Cost Analysis, Female, Health Personnel/standards, Health Services/standards, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Violence, Young Adult",

author = "{Nic Carthaigh}, Niamh and {De Gryse}, Benoit and Esmati, {Abdul Sattar} and Barak Nizar and {Van Overloop}, Catherine and Renzo Fricke and Jehan Bseiso and Corinne Baker and Tom Decroo and Mit Philips",

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year = "2015",

doi = "10.1093/inthealth/ihu086",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "169--175",

journal = "International Health",

issn = "1876-3413",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan. / Nic Carthaigh, Niamh; De Gryse, Benoit; Esmati, Abdul Sattar; Nizar, Barak; Van Overloop, Catherine; Fricke, Renzo; Bseiso, Jehan; Baker, Corinne; Decroo, Tom; Philips, Mit.

In: International Health, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2015, p. 169-175.

Research output: Contribution to journal › A1: Web of Science-article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan

AU - Nic Carthaigh, Niamh

AU - De Gryse, Benoit

AU - Esmati, Abdul Sattar

AU - Nizar, Barak

AU - Van Overloop, Catherine

AU - Fricke, Renzo

AU - Bseiso, Jehan

AU - Baker, Corinne

AU - Decroo, Tom

AU - Philips, Mit

N1 - NPP; © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - BACKGROUND: The Afghan population suffers from a long standing armed conflict. We investigated patients' experiences of their access to and use of the health services.METHODS: Data were collected in four clinics from different provinces. Mixed methods were applied. The questions focused on access obstacles during the current health problem and health seeking behaviour during a previous illness episode of a household member.RESULTS: To access the health facilities 71.8% (545/759) of patients experienced obstacles. The combination of long distances, high costs and the conflict deprived people of life-saving healthcare. The closest public clinics were underused due to perceptions regarding their lack of availability or quality of staff, services or medicines. For one in five people, a lack of access to health care had resulted in death among family members or close friends within the last year.CONCLUSIONS: Violence continues to affect daily life and access to healthcare in Afghanistan. Moreover, healthcare provision is not adequately geared to meet medical and emergency needs. Impartial healthcare tailored to the context will be vital to increase access to basic and life-saving healthcare.

AB - BACKGROUND: The Afghan population suffers from a long standing armed conflict. We investigated patients' experiences of their access to and use of the health services.METHODS: Data were collected in four clinics from different provinces. Mixed methods were applied. The questions focused on access obstacles during the current health problem and health seeking behaviour during a previous illness episode of a household member.RESULTS: To access the health facilities 71.8% (545/759) of patients experienced obstacles. The combination of long distances, high costs and the conflict deprived people of life-saving healthcare. The closest public clinics were underused due to perceptions regarding their lack of availability or quality of staff, services or medicines. For one in five people, a lack of access to health care had resulted in death among family members or close friends within the last year.CONCLUSIONS: Violence continues to affect daily life and access to healthcare in Afghanistan. Moreover, healthcare provision is not adequately geared to meet medical and emergency needs. Impartial healthcare tailored to the context will be vital to increase access to basic and life-saving healthcare.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Afghanistan

KW - Ambulatory Care Facilities/standards

KW - Armed Conflicts

KW - Costs and Cost Analysis

KW - Female

KW - Health Personnel/standards

KW - Health Services/standards

KW - Health Services Accessibility

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care

KW - Violence

KW - Young Adult

U2 - 10.1093/inthealth/ihu086

DO - 10.1093/inthealth/ihu086

M3 - A1: Web of Science-article

C2 - 25492948

VL - 7

SP - 169

EP - 175

JO - International Health

JF - International Health

SN - 1876-3413

IS - 3

ER -

Patients struggle to access effective health care due to ongoing violence, distance, costs and health service performance in Afghanistan

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Keywords

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