Barriers to treatment of obstetric emergencies in rural communities of West Africa

This article summarizes exploratory research conducted using focus-group discussions in rural communities in Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierra Leone. The objective was to identify barriers to the use of health-care facilities when obstetric problems arise. The findings illustrate how sociocultural factors, such as societal expectations and the role of women, affect the use of health services. Physical and social distance between communities and facilities, as well as transportation problems, were found to be obstacles to care. Health-service factors were also found to pose barriers to prompt treatment. -from Authors