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BMC Women's Health
Published in: BMC Women's Health 1/2013

Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research article

“It’s not easy to acknowledge that I’m ill”: a qualitative investigation into the health seeking behavior of rural Palestinian women

Authors: Linda Majaj, Majed Nassar, Manuela De Allegri

Published in: BMC Women's Health | Issue 1/2013

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Abstract

Background

This qualitative study sets to fill a gap in knowledge by exploring the health seeking behaviour of rural women living in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). The existing literature on the oPt has so far focused on unravelling the country’s epidemiological and health system profile, but has largely neglected the assessment of factors shaping people’s decisions on health care use.

Methods

Based on a conceptual framework rooted in the Anderson behavioural model, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with purposely selected women and seven key informant interviews in three purposely selected villages in Ramallah district.

Results

Our findings indicate that women delay seeking professional care, use self-prescribed medications and home treatment, and do not use preventive and educational health services. Their health seeking behaviour is the result of the interplay of several factors: their gendered socio-cultural role; their health beliefs; financial affordability and geographical accessibility; their perceptions of the quality of care; and their perceived health needs.

Conclusions

Findings are discussed in the light of their policy implications, suggesting that adequate health policy planning ought to take into considerations socio-cultural dimensions beyond those directly pertinent to the health care system.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
“It’s not easy to acknowledge that I’m ill”: a qualitative investigation into the health seeking behavior of rural Palestinian women
Authors
Linda Majaj
Majed Nassar
Manuela De Allegri
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Women's Health / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6874
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-13-26

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Reviewer acknowledgement

Annual acknowledgement of reviewers