Assessing of the factors influencing the bypassing of primary healthcare facilities by patients in the Wa Municipality of Ghana by Bismark Yayra Adzah, Abraham Dayouri, Scientific Research Journal (Scirj), Volume X, Issue VIII, August 2022 Edition

Scirj Volume X, Issue VIII, August 2022 Edition
ISSN: 2201-2796

Assessing of the factors influencing the bypassing of primary healthcare facilities by patients in the Wa Municipality of Ghana

Bismark Yayra Adzah, Abraham Dayouri

Abstract: Despite efforts by Government to ensure that there is a hierarchical order in healthcare delivery, some patients do not seek healthcare from their nearest Primary healthcare facility. Existing studies on bypassing of healthcare facilities in Ghana focused specifically on patients seeking maternal healthcare and accident cases ignoring bypassing behaviour of other patients seeking other healthcare services and the factors influencing their bypassing behaviour. This study therefore sought to assess the rate of bypassing of primary healthcare (PHC) facilities and the factors influencing the bypassing of primary healthcare (PHC) facilities by patients in the Wa municipality seeking all healthcare services. A mixed method approach was used with a concurrent design. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 264 patients exiting the higher level facilities with the interval 3. A simple random sampling techniques was also used to select five heads of the primary healthcare (PHC) facilities. Quantitative data was analyzed using both descriptive statistics and cross tabulation whilst qualitative data was analyzed in themes. Results from the study shows that 164 respondents representing 62.12% of patients who sought healthcare at the higher level facilities had bypassed their nearest PHC providers. At a significant level of 5%, socio-economic variables such age, religion, ethnicity, employment status and income level were found to be significantly associated with bypassing of PHC facilities. From the health system point of view, lack of drugs, poor attitude of staff, lack of diagnostic facility and equipment, overcrowding and poor access road to the PHC facilities are major health system factors influencing the bypassing of PHC facilities.

Reference this Paper: Assessing of the factors influencing the bypassing of primary healthcare facilities by patients in the Wa Municipality of Ghana by Bismark Yayra Adzah, Abraham Dayouri published at: "Scientific Research Journal (Scirj), Volume X, Issue VIII, August 2022 Edition, Page 21-30 ".

Search Terms: Universal health coverage, primary healthcare, bypassing

[Read Research Paper] [Full Screen]