AIM: This study aimed to explore the views of Palestinian women and healthcare providers regarding factors contributing to the mistreatment of women during childbirth at childbirth facilities in the West Bank, Palestine.
METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in the West Bank, Palestine, from February 2019 to April 2019. In-depth interviews were conducted with six Palestinian women and five healthcare providers. Consent was obtained individually from each participant, and the interviews ranged from 40 to 50min. Data collection was continued until thematic saturation was reached. Open-ended questions were asked during interviews. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the data collected from the interviews.
RESULTS: Four themes were identified with regards to the women and healthcare providers' views about factors contributing to the mistreatment of women during childbirth in the West Bank, Palestine: limitation in childbirth facilities, factors within the healthcare providers, the women themselves, and barriers within the community.
DISCUSSION: Mistreatment of women during childbirth may occur due to the limitations of resources and staff in childbirth facilities. Some women also justified the mistreatment, and certain characteristics of the women were believed to be the factors for mistreatment.
CONCLUSION: As the first known study of its kind in West Bank, the identified contributing factors especially the limitations of resources and staff are essential to provide good quality and respectful care at childbirth facilities.
METHODS: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in 15 sub-districts of Kuantan Singingi regency from May-June 2017. We selected 320 mothers from 15 sub-districts who delivered in the last 3 months (February-April 2017). Trained data enumerators collected the relevant data by using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. We used Cox regression analysis to determine the factors associated with delivery at healthcare facilities. Prevalence Ratio (PR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for childbirth at healthcare facilities was the key outcome measure.
RESULTS: Only 54.4% (174) of the 320 mothers delivered at healthcare facilities. Knowledge about pregnancy danger signs (PR = 1.59, 95%CI:1.15-2.2), attitude towards healthcare services (PR = 0.79, 95%CI:0.33-1.89), and access to health care services (PR = 0.39, 95%CI:0.18-0.84) were the dominant factors of childbirth at healthcare facilities. There was an interaction between attitude and access to healthcare influencing delivery at healthcare facilities.
CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of healthcare facilities for childbirth was low in Kuantan Singingi regency. Knowledge of pregnancy danger signs was an independent correlate of childbirth at healthcare facilities. Also, the interaction between attitude and access to healthcare showed a significant influence on childbirth at healthcare facilities. We recommend strengthening of existing maternal and child health program with a particular emphasis on complete and quality antenatal care, health education on danger signs of pregnancy and childbirth, and promoting positive attitudes towards healthcare facilities.