What is it about?

The way clients perceive the quality of care is noted to how client use that health care service. But only limited research has been conducted to explore and measure perceived quality of care using quantitative tools. Study aimed to measure women’s perceived quality of maternal and newborn care using a composite scale and to find characteristics of women who perceive quality of care in a given way in Malawi. We used a one off survey in in some facilities in Malawi between March to May 2013. After visiting a health facility due to antenatal, delivery, and postnatal clinics, 821 women were interviewed using structured questionnaires. We asked them questions on experiences and their perceptions of quality of care based on 27 items, clustered around three dimensions of care: interpersonal relations, conditions of the consultation and delivery rooms, and nursing care services. Most women rated quality of care highly with an overall average score of 9/10. Self-introduction by the health worker, explanation of examination procedures, consent seeking, encouragement to ask questions, confidentiality protection and being offered to have a guardian during delivery were associated with a high quality rating of interpersonal relations for antenatal and delivery care services. Being literate, never experienced a still birth and, first ANC visit were associated with a high quality rating of room conditions for antenatal care service. The study suggests that proper interventions or practices and policies should consider these factors when making quality improvements.

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Why is it important?

The study identifies issues that can be targeted in relation to factors that affect women's rating of quality of care.

Perspectives

This is a very interesting publication. It will become even more relevant given the adoption of the SDGs

Dr Jacob Mazalale
Heidelberg Universoty

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: How do Malawian women rate the quality of maternal and newborn care? Experiences and perceptions of women in the central and southern regions, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, August 2015, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-015-0560-x.
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