Healthcare providers’ perspectives of disrespect and abuse in maternity care facilities in Nigeria: a qualitative study

Joy Orpin (), Shuby Puthussery () and Barbara Burden ()
Additional contact information
Joy Orpin: University of Bedfordshire
Shuby Puthussery: University of Bedfordshire
Barbara Burden: University of Bedfordshire

International Journal of Public Health, 2019, vol. 64, issue 9, No 9, 1299 pages

Abstract: Abstract Objectives To explore healthcare providers’ perspectives of disrespect and abuse in maternity care and the impact on women’s health and well-being. Methods Qualitative interpretive approach using in-depth semi-structured interviews with sixteen healthcare providers in two public health facilities in Nigeria. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically. Results Healthcare providers’ accounts revealed awareness of what respectful maternity care encompassed in accordance with the existing guidelines. They considered disrespectful and abusive practices perpetrated or witnessed as violation of human rights, while highlighting women’s expectations of care as the basis for subjectivity of experiences. They perceived some practices as well-intended to ensure safety of mother and baby. Views reflected underlying gender-related notions and societal perceptions of women being considered weaker than men. There was recognition about adverse effects of disrespect and abuse including its impact on women, babies, and providers’ job satisfaction. Conclusions Healthcare providers need training on how to incorporate elements of respectful maternity care into practice including skills for rapport building and counselling. Women and family members should be educated about right to respectful care empowering them to report disrespectful practices.

Keywords: Respectful care; Disrespect and abuse; Healthcare providers; Health facilities; Maternity care; Nigeria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00038-019-01306-0 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:ijphth:v:64:y:2019:i:9:d:10.1007_s00038-019-01306-0

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/00038

DOI: 10.1007/s00038-019-01306-0

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Public Health is currently edited by Thomas Kohlmann, Nino Künzli and Andrea Madarasova Geckova

More articles in International Journal of Public Health from Springer, Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().