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Understanding Barriers to the Access to Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services: A Qualitative Study with Mothers or Female Caregivers of Children with a Disability in Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Gregorius Abanit Asa

    (Sanggar Belajar Alternatif (SALT), Atambua 85711, Indonesia)

  • Nelsensius Klau Fauk

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, P.O. Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia
    Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change, Kupang 85221, Indonesia)

  • Lillian Mwanri

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, P.O. Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia)

  • Paul Russell Ward

    (College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, P.O. Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia)

Abstract

Accessibility to healthcare and rehabilitation services for children with a disability (CWD) is essential to improving their health and wellbeing. However, access to the services, especially in many settings in developing countries with scarcity of resources, is still limited. As part of a qualitative study exploring impacts of caring for CWD on mothers or female caregivers and their coping strategies, this paper describes barriers for access to healthcare and rehabilitation services for CWD in Belu district, Indonesia. One-on-one, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 mothers or female caregivers of CWD. Participants were recruited using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques. These were supplemented with interviews with two staff of disability rehabilitation centers in Belu to understand any additional barriers. Data analysis was guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. Our analysis identified that lack of affordability of healthcare services (high costs and low financial capacity of mothers) was the key barrier for access to healthcare and rehabilitation services CWD. Religious or faith-based factors, such as being a non-Catholic (Belu is predominantly Catholic), converting from Catholic to other religions, and the belief in children’s disability condition as “God’s will”, were also influencing factors for lack of access to the services. Shortage of staff, distrust in the therapy skills of staff at rehabilitation centers, and unavailability of appropriately trained healthcare professionals were structural or system-related barriers. The findings indicate the need for government-owned and run disability rehabilitation centers (not faith-based), the provision of fully subsidised health insurance to provide free services, and the provision of qualified therapists and healthcare professionals (to build trust) in Belu and other similar settings in Indonesia.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregorius Abanit Asa & Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Lillian Mwanri & Paul Russell Ward, 2021. "Understanding Barriers to the Access to Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services: A Qualitative Study with Mothers or Female Caregivers of Children with a Disability in Indonesia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11546-:d:671190
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Daniel Mont & Nguyen Viet Cuong, 2011. "Disability and Poverty in Vietnam," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 323-359.
    3. Hannah Kuper & Matthew Walsham & Flora Myamba & Simeon Mesaki & Islay Mactaggart & Morgon Banks & Karl Blanchet, 2016. "Social protection for people with disabilities in Tanzania: a mixed methods study," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(4), pages 441-457, October.
    4. Jean‐Francois Trani & Mitchell Loeb, 2012. "Poverty and disability: A vicious circle? Evidence from Afghanistan and Zambia," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24, pages 19-52, January.
    5. Gregorius Abanit Asa & Nelsensius Klau Fauk & Paul Russell Ward & Lillian Mwanri, 2020. "The psychosocial and economic impacts on female caregivers and families caring for children with a disability in Belu District, Indonesia," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, November.
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