Health services utilization pattern in relation to health care rights and quality perception: an example from rural Giza

ABSTRACT

Providing relevant policy makers with the necessary information in developing strategies to steer up the choices of communities to different health sectors. To identify health care quality dimensions steering up/ limiting the choices towards different health sectors. And, to probe the issue of rights and empowerment in health care. a descriptive community based exploratory study. It was a policy oriented research where the principles of health systems research [HSR] were followed. One of the villages in Giza, Rural Upper Egypt. Quantitative data was obtained by secondary analysis of the data of a mother household survey. It focused all married wives in the reproductive age 15- 49 year old and their husbands who sought preventive/curative health services in the year before data collection. They totaled 211 couples of different ages and social levels. Qualitative data was obtained from the director general of the quality sector - MOHP, the actively working personnel in the relevant rural primary health care unit, and subgroups of the selected husbands and wives. In depth interviews and focus group discussions were used. The study rural couples considered the private sector to be the best in responding to their priority expectations. It was the heaviest in utilization although too costly to the low social classed. The selected subgroups of the study couples had variable views and attitudes with regard to the different quality dimension in health care. They perceived the need for improving the quality of health care but were not clear about their health care rights or how to obtain the desired changes. The lowest social class studied anal participants had the most limited span of choices to health sectors. They voiced basic needs with the fewest or no quality expectations. Quality perceptions by the health care consumers influence their choice of the health care facility to be sought. Widening the span of health sectors to be sought requires a scientific well prepared strategic micro-planning. Focus groups offered important, information on quality and breadth of health care delivery and should be part of quality monitoring activities. To empower health care consumers to call for their rights, multidisciplinary, slowly but surely efforts from the health, information, education and political disciplines are recommended