Private Sector Health Care Users’ Criteria for Choosing Maternity Services In A District In Mpumalanga
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
Currently, maternity care in the public sector in South Africa is differentiated according to the level of care required. There is also a substantial difference in resource availability between the public and private healthcare sectors. Urban area healthcare users with medical insurance have a choice of private or public sector facilities and even a choice between midwifery-led care and obstetrician led care. This will no longer be the case once the National Health Insurance (NHI) is introduced. Currently, private healthcare users in rural areas have fewer choices due to the lack of facilities. This group of healthcare users therefore has a unique understanding and experience of the quality and types of service offered in the public and private sector. Their perspective will be useful in determining the priorities for establishing equitable maternity services as envisaged by the NHI. By comparing their perspectives to those of healthcare users of the public sector maternity services, it will be possible to establish whether differences occur and, at a later stage, to start planning services that meet the needs of both the public and the private sector healthcare users. This study sought to answer the research question, “Do private sector healthcare user’s criteria for choosing a maternity service differ from those of public sector users?” A multi-method qualitative study was used. Phase 1 included a scoping review which determined the criteria used to measure patient satisfaction in the public maternity services in sub-Saharan Africa. Phase 2 of the study included semi-structured interviews of nineteen (19) women of childbearing age to determine the criteria that private sector users use when choosing a maternity service to meet their needs and aspirations. The scoping review provided the a priori codes for phase 2 of the study. Using the a priori codes from the scoping review, a template analysis was conducted
in phase 2.
The findings of this study indicated that all women, irrespective of social class, culture or socio-economic status have similar needs and preferences and would use those similar criteria for choosing a birthing facility, should they be given that choice. The study emphasised that women need caring, responsive midwives to be present at their birth together with a birth companion of their choice in an accessible, clean and comfortable environment
Description
A Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2024
Keywords
Private patients, Patient Satisfaction, Midwifery, Choice of facility, UCTD
Citation
Clay, Nadia Susan. (2024). Private Sector Health Care Users’ Criteria for Choosing Maternity Services In A District In Mpumalanga [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/42826