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BMC Health Services Research
Published in: BMC Health Services Research 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Public Health | Research

“These are just finishing our medicines”: older persons’ perceptions and experiences of access to healthcare in public and private health facilities in Uganda

Authors: Stephen Ojiambo Wandera, Valerie Golaz, Betty Kwagala, James P. M. Ntozi, David Otundo Ayuku

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

There is limited research on the experiences of access to medicines for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in health facilities among older persons in Uganda. This paper explores the perspectives of older persons and healthcare providers concerning older persons’ access to essential medicines in Uganda.

Methods

It is based on qualitative data from three districts of Hoima, Kiboga, and Busia in Uganda. Data collection methods included seven (07) focus group discussions (FGDs) and eighteen (18) in-depth interviews with older persons. Nine (9) key informant interviews with healthcare providers were conducted. Deductive and inductive thematic analysis (using Health Access Livelihood Framework) was used to analyze the barriers and facilitators of access to healthcare using QSR International NVivo software.

Results

The key facilitators and barriers to access to healthcare included both health system and individual-level factors. The facilitators of access to essential medicines included family or social support, earning some income or Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) money, and knowing a healthcare provider at a health facility. The health system barriers included the unavailability of specialized personnel, equipment, and essential medicines for non-communicable diseases, frequent stock-outs, financial challenges, long waiting times, high costs for medicines for NCDs, and long distances to health facilities.

Conclusion

Access to essential medicines for NCDs is a critical challenge for older persons in Uganda. The Ministry of Health should make essential drugs for NCDS to be readily available and train geriatricians to provide specialized healthcare for older persons to reduce health inequities in old age. Social support systems need to be strengthened to enable older persons to access healthcare.
Footnotes
1
IDI 15, older man age 70, Busia district. He visited HC thrice and missed drugs once when he was referred to buy and did not have the money. He also stated that the prescription was written in English which he could not understand.
 
2
KII_13, provider at HC III, Busia.
 
3
KII_05, Hoima regional referral hospital.
 
4
IDI 01, older man age 64, Hoima. Had high blood pressure but was better off economically.
 
5
IDI 13, older man age 56, Busia district. He also reported that he was once injected with an expired drug in one of the clinics by a nurse, who didn’t check the label/expiry date of the drug.
 
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Metadata
Title
“These are just finishing our medicines”: older persons’ perceptions and experiences of access to healthcare in public and private health facilities in Uganda
Authors
Stephen Ojiambo Wandera
Valerie Golaz
Betty Kwagala
James P. M. Ntozi
David Otundo Ayuku
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Public Health
Published in
BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10741-6

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