They ‘don't cure old age’

Older Ugandans’ delays to health-care access

Bibliographic Data

ID11200426
AuthorsEnid Schatz (0000-0003-3963-2745, University of Missouri Health System, corresponding author), Janet Seeley (0000-0002-0583-5272, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), Joel Negin (0000-0002-2016-311X, The University of Sydney), Joseph Mugisha (0000-0002-0199-1518, University of Missouri Health System)
Year2018
Volume38
Issue11
Pages2197-2217
Publication date2018-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x17000502
OpenAlexW2626647431
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited38

Uganda's population is ageing, which comes with increased and varied burdens of disease and health-care needs. At the same time, gerontological care in Uganda remains neglected. This paper examines the factors that cause older Ugandans to delay health-care access. We conduct a thematic analysis of data drawn from nine focus groups held with rural Ugandans aged 60-plus. Our analysis highlights the factors that delay older persons’ access to health care and how these align with the Three-Delay Model, which was originally developed to assess and improve obstetric care in low-resource settings. Our participants report delays in deciding to seek care related to mobility and financial limitations, disease aetiology, severity and stigma (Delay I); reaching care because of poor roads and limited transportation options (Delay II); and receiving appropriate care because of ageism among health-care workers, and poorly staffed and under-supplied facilities (Delay III). We find these delays to care are interrelated and impacted by factors at the individual, community and health-system levels. We conclude by arguing for multi-pronged interventions that will address these delays, improve access to care and ultimately enhance older Ugandans’ health and wellbeing

Business · Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Focus group · Health care · Population · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Qualitative research · Sociology · Stigma (botany) · Thematic analysis · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Global Maternal and Child Health · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Medicine · Nursing · Gerontology