Browsing by Author "Fakih, Bakar Shariff"

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    Barriers facing persons with disabilities in accessing health care services in Tanzania: a case study of Nachingwea district
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2015) Fakih, Bakar Shariff
    This study documented barriers that people with disabilities face in accessing health care services in Nachingwea district in Tanzania. The purpose of the study was to investigate the reasons for the persistence of barriers that persons with disabilities face when accessing health care services, despite all efforts made, by using Nachingwea as a case study. The study also investigated on the experience that persons with disabilities have in coping with the barriers and factors that constrained efforts made to improve access to health services for the persons with disabilities. The study was cross sectional in design which employed a case study that gave an opportunity and flexibility in the use of data collection methods whereby; questionnaire, in-depth interview and focus group discussion were employed. The finding of the study indicated that both financial and transport barriers were leading constraints towards health care access for persons with disabilities. The study also revealed communication, lack of personal assistant, distance from the health facilities, and unfriendly infrastructure to have contributed in hindering persons with disabilities to access health care services. Furthermore, the study revealed that persons with disabilities were aware on the coping strategies toward access in health care services access. Lastly, the study found that facilitating factors made to improve access to health services for the persons with disabilities included Cash transfer from TASAF, being providing persons with disabilities with livestock for keeping, formation of district organizations, formation of local farming groups, food support and educating them to work and seek for health care services in return. Nevertheless, the study indicated the following as barriers towards their access to health care services by the persons with disabilities: persons with disabilities not being properly organized; most of the households being headed by a member with primary or no formal education; provision of very low cash support to the families with persons with disabilities; poor organizations; community stereotyped attitudes towards persons with disabilities and inability to pay for health care services. The study suggested various sustainable ways of supporting persons living with disabilities which include establishment of income generating activities and integrating cash transfer through Community Health Fund (CHF) as effective measures of addressing these barriers.