Social Determinants of Health Inequities in Indigenous Children in the Philippines

Rosa, Jared Gabriel L Dela; Ornos, Eric David B.; Sianoya, Abraham C; Tantengco, Ourlad Alzeus G.; Guinaran, Ryan C.

doi:10.1111/jpc.16103

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our research reveals that poor working conditions and limited resources significantly hinder providing high-quality basic health care in underserved areas. These findings are consistent with earlier research examining health care delivery in underserved areas in the country [ 1 , 5 , 9 , 11 , 25 ]. Given the magnitude of the problems afflicting the health care system in the Philippines, an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach is required to improve the quality of health care provided in BHCs by enhancing their staffing, clinical resources, and access to life-saving drugs [ 33 , 34 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…As a result of decentralization, health centers in barangays (the smallest administrative division in the Philippines) were tasked with providing basic health care (eg, vaccines, health and nutrition education, family planning services, treatment for minor illnesses and injuries) to the individuals residing in the communities they served [ 5 ]. These barangay health centers (BHCs) are the cornerstone of the country’s public health system and were designed to promote health and prevent disease by providing basic health care [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Using the Socioecological Model to Explore Barriers to Health Care Provision in Underserved Communities in the Philippines: Qualitative Study

Reyes¹,

Serafica²,

Kawi³

et al. 2023

Asian Pac Isl Nurs J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The Philippines’ primary care is delivered via local health centers called barangay health centers (BHCs). Barangays are the most local government units in the Philippines. Designed to promote and prevent disease via basic health care, these BHCs are staffed mainly by barangay health workers (BHWs). However, there has been limited research on the social and environmental factors affecting underserved communities’ access to health care in underserved areas of the Philippines. Given the importance of BHCs in disease prevention and health promotion, it is necessary to identify obstacles to providing their services and initiatives. Objective This study aimed to explore multilevel barriers to accessing and providing basic health care in BHCs. Methods We used a qualitative approach and the socioecological model as a framework to investigate the multilevel barriers affecting basic health care provision. A total of 18 BHWs from 6 BHCs nationwide participated in focus group interviews. Traditional thematic content analysis was used to analyze the focus group data. After that, we conducted individual semistructured interviews with 4 public health nurses who supervised the BHWs to confirm findings from focus groups as a data source triangulation. The final stage of thematic analysis was conducted using the socioecological model as the framework. Results Findings revealed various barriers at the individual (lack of staff motivation and misperceptions of health care needs), interpersonal (lack of training, unprofessional behaviors, and lack of communication), institutional (lack of human resources for health, lack of accountability of staff, unrealistic expectations, and lack of physical space or supplies), community (lack of community support, lack of availability of appropriate resources, and belief in traditional healers), and policy (lack of uniformity in policies and resources and lack of a functional infrastructure) levels. Conclusions Examining individual-, interpersonal-, institutional-, community-, and policy-level determinants that affect BHCs can inform community-based health promotion interventions for the country’s underserved communities. Given the multidimensional barriers identified, a comprehensive program must be developed and implemented in collaboration with health care providers, community leaders, local and regional health care department representatives, and policy makers.

show abstract