Healthcare Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Challenges in the Provision of Quality Primary Healthcare for People with Disabilities in Three Regions of Guatemala: A Qualitative Study

Goli Hashemi (), Ana Leticia Santos, Mary Wickenden, Hannah Kuper, Chi-Kwan Shea and Shaffa Hameed
Additional contact information
Goli Hashemi: International Center for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Ana Leticia Santos: Blitz Language, Guatemala City 01057, Guatemala
Mary Wickenden: Institute of Development Studies, Brighton BN1 9RE, UK
Hannah Kuper: International Center for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Chi-Kwan Shea: Department of Occupational Therapy, Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA 94609, USA
Shaffa Hameed: International Center for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 19, 1-13

Abstract: It is estimated that 3.75 billion people worldwide lack access to healthcare services. Marginalized populations, such as people with disabilities, are at greater risk of exclusion. People with disabilities not only face the same barriers as people without disabilities, but also experience a range of additional barriers in accessing healthcare due to a variety of discriminatory and inaccessible environments. These extra barriers exist despite their greater need for general healthcare, as well as specialized healthcare related to their impairment. Few studies have focused on healthcare providers and the challenges they face in caring for this group. This paper describes the perspectives of healthcare stakeholders and reported challenges to the provision of quality primary healthcare for people with disabilities. In-depth interviews with 11 healthcare stakeholders were conducted in three regions of Guatemala. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Five sub-themes emerged from the above theme: infrastructure and availability of resources, impairment-based challenges, need for special attention and empathy, opportunity to provide services to people with disabilities, and gaps in training. The results could contribute to the development and implementation of strategies that can improve primary care provision and ultimately access to services for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries.

Keywords: primary healthcare; healthcare stakeholder; people with disabilities; Guatemala; low- and middle-income countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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