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Sarikhani Y, Najibi SM, Razavi Z. Key barriers to the provision and utilization of maternal health services in low-and lower-middle-income countries; a scoping review. BMC Womens Health 2024; 24:325. [PMID: 38840156 PMCID: PMC11151574 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-024-03177-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The preservation and promotion of maternal health (MH) emerge as vital global health objectives. Despite the considerable emphasis on MH, there are still serious challenges to equitable access to MH services in many countries. This review aimed to determine key barriers to the provision and utilization of MH services in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs). METHODS In this scoping review, we comprehensively searched four online databases from January 2000 to September 2022. In this study, the approach proposed by Arksey and O'Malley was used to perform the review. Consequently, 117 studies were selected for final analysis. To determine eligibility, three criteria of scoping reviews (population, concept, and context) were assessed alongside the fulfillment of the STROBE and CASP checklist criteria. To synthesize and analyze the extracted data we used the qualitative content analysis method. RESULTS The main challenges in the utilization of MH services in LLMICs are explained under four main themes including, knowledge barriers, barriers related to beliefs, attitudes and preferences, access barriers, and barriers related to family structure and power. Furthermore, the main barriers to the provision of MH services in these countries have been categorized into three main themes including, resource, equipment, and capital constraints, human resource barriers, and process defects in the provision of services. CONCLUSIONS The evidence from this study suggests that many of the barriers to the provision and utilization of MH services in LLMICs are interrelated. Therefore, in the first step, it is necessary to prioritize these factors by determining their relative importance according to the specific conditions of each country. Consequently, comprehensive policies should be developed using system modeling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Sarikhani
- Research Center for Social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Seyede Maryam Najibi
- Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, Department of Persian Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Zahra Razavi
- Research Center for Social Determinants of Health, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
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Alibhai KM, Ziegler BR, Meddings L, Batung E, Luginaah I. Factors impacting antenatal care utilization: a systematic review of 37 fragile and conflict-affected situations. Confl Health 2022; 16:33. [PMID: 35690840 PMCID: PMC9188725 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-022-00459-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is estimated that over 930 million people live in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCAS) worldwide. These regions, characterized by violence, civil unrest, and war, are often governed by corrupt administrations who are unwilling to provide their citizens with basic human rights. Individuals living in FCAS face health inequities; however, women are disproportionally affected and face additional barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive services, including antenatal care (ANC). This systematic review aims to identify the factors that impact ANC usage in the 37 countries or regions classified as FCAS in 2020 by The World Bank. METHODS Using the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of five databases (SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL) was conducted. Results were limited to human studies, written in English, and published between January 2002 and January 2022. Studies that identified factors affecting utilization of ANC or maternal health services were included for review and critically appraised using the National Institute of Health's Quality Assessment Tools. Findings were summarized using a narrative synthesis approach. RESULTS The database search yielded 26,527 studies. After title, abstract and full-text review, and exclusion of duplicate articles, 121 studies remained. Twenty-eight of the 37 FCAS were represented in the included studies. The studies highlighted that women in FCAS' are still not meeting the World Health Organization's 2002 recommendation of four ANC visits during pregnancy, a recommendation which has since been increased to eight visits. The most cited factors impacting ANC were socioeconomic status, education, and poor quality of ANC. Despite all studies being conducted in conflict-affected regions, only nine studies explicitly identified conflict as a direct barrier to accessing ANC. CONCLUSION This review demonstrated that there is a paucity in the literature examining the direct and indirect impacts of conflict on ANC utilization. Specifically, research should be conducted in the nine FCAS that are not currently represented in the literature. To mitigate the barriers that prevent utilization of maternal health services identified in this review, policy makers, women utilizing ANC, and global organizations should attempt to collaborate to enact policy change at the local level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bianca R Ziegler
- DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Louise Meddings
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Evans Batung
- Department of Geography, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Environment Health and Hazards Lab, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Isaac Luginaah
- Department of Geography, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Environment Health and Hazards Lab, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada
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SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AFFECTING UTILIZATION OF MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES IN AFRICA: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH AND POLICY 2020. [DOI: 10.33457/ijhsrp.688559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Zolnoori M, Balls-Berry JE, Brockman TA, Patten CA, Huang M, Yao L. A Systematic Framework for Analyzing Patient-Generated Narrative Data: Protocol for a Content Analysis. JMIR Res Protoc 2019; 8:13914. [PMID: 31452524 PMCID: PMC6786846 DOI: 10.2196/13914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Patient narrative data in online health care forums (communities) are receiving increasing attention from the scientific community for implementing patient-centered care. Natural language processing (NLP) methods are gaining more and more attention because of the enormous data volume. However, state-of-the-art NLP still cannot meet the need of high-resolution analysis of patients’ narratives. Manual qualitative analysis still plays a pivotal role in answering complicated research questions from analyzing patient narratives. Objective This study aimed to develop a systematic framework for qualitative analysis of patient-generated narratives in online health care forums. Methods Our systematic framework consists of 4 phases: (1) data collection, (2) data preparation, (3) content analysis, and (4) interpretation of the results. Data collection and data preparation phases are constructed based on text mining methods for identifying appropriate online health forums for data collection, differentiating posts of patients from other stakeholders, protecting patients’ privacy, sampling, and choosing the unit of analysis. Content analysis phase is built on the framework method, which facilitates and accelerates the identification of patterns and themes by an interdisciplinary research team. In the end, the focus of interpretation of the results phase is to measure the data quality and interpret the findings regarding the dimensions and aspects of patients’ experiences and concerns in their original contexts. Results We demonstrated the usability of the proposed systematic framework using 2 case studies: one on determining factors affecting patients’ attitudes toward antidepressants and another on identifying the disease management strategies in patient with diabetes facing financial difficulties. The framework provides a clear step-by-step process for systematic content analysis of patient narratives and produces high-quality structured results that can be used for describing patterns or regularities in patients’ experiences, generating and testing hypotheses, and identifying areas of improvement in the health care systems. Conclusions The systematic framework is a rigorous and standardized method for qualitative analysis of patient narratives. Findings obtained through such a process indicate authentic dimensions and aspects of patient experiences and shed light on patients’ concerns, needs, preferences, and values, which are the core of patient-centered care. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/13914
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Zolnoori
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Joyce E Balls-Berry
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.,College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Tabetha A Brockman
- Community Engagement Program, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Christi A Patten
- Community Engagement Program, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ming Huang
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Lixia Yao
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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Sumankuuro J, Crockett J, Wang S. Sociocultural barriers to maternity services delivery: a qualitative meta-synthesis of the literature. Public Health 2018; 157:77-85. [PMID: 29501985 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Maternal and neonatal healthcare outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remain poor despite decades of different health service delivery interventions and stakeholder investments. Qualitative studies have attributed these results, at least in part, to sociocultural beliefs and practices. Thus there is a need to understand, from an overarching perspective, how these sociocultural beliefs affect maternal and neonatal health (MNH) outcomes. STUDY DESIGN A qualitative meta-synthesis of primary studies on cultural beliefs and practices associated with maternal and neonatal health care was carried out, incorporating research conducted in any country within SSA, using data from men, women and health professionals gathered through focus group discussions, structured and semistructured interviews. METHODS A systematic search was carried out on seven electronic databases, Scopus, Ovid Medline, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Humanities and Social Sciences (Informit), EMBASE and Web of Science, and on Google Scholar, using both manual and electronic methods, between 1st January 1990 and 1st January 2017. The terms 'cultural beliefs'; 'cultural beliefs AND maternal health'; 'cultural beliefs OR maternal health'; 'traditional practices' and 'maternal health' were used in the search. RESULTS Key components of cultural beliefs and practices associated with adverse health outcomes on pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period were identified in five overarching factors: (a) pregnancy secrecy; (b) labour complications attributed to infidelity; (c) mothers' autonomy and reproductive services; (d) marital status, trust in traditional medicines and traditional birth attendants; and (e) intergenerational beliefs attached to the 'ordeal' of giving birth. CONCLUSION Cultural beliefs and practices related to maternal and neonatal health care are intergenerational. Therefore, intensive community-specific education strategies to facilitate behaviour changes are required for improved MNH outcomes. Adopting practical approaches such as involving husbands/partners and communities in antenatal care services in a health facility and community settings can enhance improved MNH outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sumankuuro
- School of Community Health, Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - J Crockett
- School of Community Health, Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
| | - S Wang
- School of Community Health, Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales, Australia
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Madhi SA, Rivera LM, Sáez-Llorens X, Menéndez C, Carrim-Ganey N, Cotton MF, Katzman D, Luttig MM, Candelario R, Baker S, Roychoudhury M. Factors influencing access of pregnant women and their infants to their local healthcare system: a prospective, multi-centre, observational study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2018; 18:29. [PMID: 29334920 PMCID: PMC5769295 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-017-1655-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The successful implementation of maternal vaccination relies on results of clinical trials, considering the prenatal and postnatal attendance at selected healthcare institutions. This study evaluated factors influencing maternal/infant access to healthcare facilities to identify potential barriers to participation in future clinical trials on maternal vaccination. Methods In this prospective, multi-centre, observational study, pregnant women (N = 3243) were enrolled at ten sites across Panama, the Dominican Republic, South Africa, and Mozambique between 2012 and 2014. They completed questionnaires at enrolment, delivery, and infant follow-up (90 days post-partum) visits, including questions on transportation, phone accessibility, alternative childcare, gestational age at enrolment, delivery location, and health status of their infant. Logistic regression was used to identify factors significantly associated with return to study site for delivery or infant follow-up visits. Results Among 3229 enrolled women with delivery information, 63.6% (range across sites: 25.3–91.5%) returned to study site for delivery. Older women and those at later gestational age at enrolment were more likely to deliver at the study site. While heterogeneities were observed at site level, shorter travel time at delivery and increased transportation costs at enrolment were associated with increased likelihood of women returning to study site for delivery. Among 3145 women with live-born infants, 3077 (95.3%) provided 90-day follow-up information; of these, 68.9% (range across sites: 25.6–98.9%) returned to study site for follow-up visits. Women with other children and with lower transportation costs at delivery were more likely to return to study site for follow-up visits. Among 666 infants reported sick, 94.3% were taken to a healthcare facility, with only 41.9% (range across sites: 4.9–77.3%) to the study site. Conclusion Although high retention was observed from enrolment through 90 days after delivery, post-partum surveillance should be broadened beyond the study sites and additional follow-up visits should be planned within the neonatal period. The factors influencing maternal/infant access to healthcare facilities and the issues identified in this study should be taken into consideration in planning future clinical studies on maternal immunisation in low- and middle-income countries. Trial registration The study was registered at ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT01734434) on November 22, 2012. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-017-1655-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabir A Madhi
- Medical Research Council: Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. .,Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation: Vaccine Preventable Diseases, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. .,National Institute for Communicable Diseases: a division of National Health Laboratory Service, Centre for Vaccines and Immunology, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Luis M Rivera
- Hospital Universitario Maternidad Nuestra Señora De La Altagracia Perinatology Department, Gazcue, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Xavier Sáez-Llorens
- Hospital del Niño "Dr. José Renán Esquivel", Infectious Disease Department, Panama City, Panama.,National System of Investigators (SNI), National Research of the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation of Panama (SENACYT), Panama City, Panama
| | - Clara Menéndez
- Barcelona Institute of Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Manhiça Health Research Center (CISM), Manhiça, Mozambique
| | | | - Mark F Cotton
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Rosalba Candelario
- GSK (formerly employee of Novartis Vaccines Division), Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sherryl Baker
- GSK (formerly employee of Novartis Vaccines Division), Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mahua Roychoudhury
- GSK (formerly employee of Novartis Vaccines Division), Cambridge, MA, USA
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Kyei-Nimakoh M, Carolan-Olah M, McCann TV. Access barriers to obstetric care at health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa-a systematic review. Syst Rev 2017; 6:110. [PMID: 28587676 PMCID: PMC5461715 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-017-0503-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since 2000, the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals, which included a goal to improve maternal health by the end of 2015, has facilitated significant reductions in maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, despite more focused efforts made especially by low- and middle-income countries, targets were largely unmet in sub-Saharan Africa, where women are plagued by many challenges in seeking obstetric care. The aim of this review was to synthesise literature on barriers to obstetric care at health institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS This review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus databases were electronically searched to identify studies on barriers to health facility-based obstetric care in sub-Saharan Africa, in English, and dated between 2000 and 2015. Combinations of search terms 'obstetric care', 'access', 'barriers', 'developing countries' and 'sub-Saharan Africa' were used to locate articles. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies were considered. A narrative synthesis approach was employed to synthesise the evidence and explore relationships between included studies. RESULTS One hundred and sixty articles met the inclusion criteria. Currently, obstetric care access is hindered by several demand- and supply-side barriers. The principal demand-side barriers identified were limited household resources/income, non-availability of means of transportation, indirect transport costs, a lack of information on health care services/providers, issues related to stigma and women's self-esteem/assertiveness, a lack of birth preparation, cultural beliefs/practices and ignorance about required obstetric health services. On the supply-side, the most significant barriers were cost of services, physical distance between health facilities and service users' residence, long waiting times at health facilities, poor staff knowledge and skills, poor referral practices and poor staff interpersonal relationships. CONCLUSION Despite similarities in obstetric care barriers across sub-Saharan Africa, country-specific strategies are required to tackle the challenges mentioned. Governments need to develop strategies to improve healthcare systems and overall socioeconomic status of women, in order to tackle supply- and demand-side access barriers to obstetric care. It is also important that strategies adopted are supported by research evidence appropriate for local conditions. Finally, more research is needed, particularly, with regard to supply-side interventions that may improve the obstetric care experience of pregnant women. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO 2014 CRD42014015549.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minerva Kyei-Nimakoh
- Disciplines of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001 Australia
| | - Mary Carolan-Olah
- Disciplines of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001 Australia
| | - Terence V. McCann
- Disciplines of Nursing and Midwifery, Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, PO Box 14428, Melbourne, Victoria 8001 Australia
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Raman S, Nicholls R, Ritchie J, Razee H, Shafiee S. Eating soup with nails of pig: thematic synthesis of the qualitative literature on cultural practices and beliefs influencing perinatal nutrition in low and middle income countries. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2016; 16:192. [PMID: 27464710 PMCID: PMC4964025 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-016-0991-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The perinatal period, i.e. pregnancy, childbirth and early infancy, is a significant transition period where the biological and the social strongly intersect. In low and middle-income countries the disease burden arising from the perinatal period, is still substantial. The perinatal period is also a crucial window of opportunity for reducing undernutrition and its long term adverse effects. METHODS We explored qualitative research conducted in low resource settings around the perinatal continuum over the past two decades, with a particular focus on the 'cultural' realm, to identify common themes influencing maternal and infant nutrition. We systematically searched electronic databases from 1990 to 2014, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, using relevant search terms including traditional beliefs, practices, pregnancy, childbirth, developing countries etc. Adapted Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Health Research and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme criteria were used to determine quality of studies. We synthesised the literature thematically, enabled by NVivo 10 software. RESULTS Most studies showed cultural support for breastfeeding, although most traditional societies delayed breastfeeding due to colostrum being considered 'dirty'. A range of restrictive practices through pregnancy and the post- partum period were revealed in Asia, Latin America and Africa. There was a strong cultural understanding of the healing power of everyday foods. A wide range of good foods and bad foods continued to have currency through the perinatal continuum, with little consensus between groups of what was beneficial versus harmful. Cross-cutting themes that emerged were 1) the role of the woman/mother/wife as strong and good; 2) poverty restricting women's nutrition choices; 3) change being constant, but the direction of change unpredictable. CONCLUSIONS A rich and diverse repertoire of cultural practices and beliefs influenced perinatal nutrition. Results from this synthesis should influence public health policymakers and practitioners, to tailor contextually specific, culturally responsive perinatal nutrition interventions to optimise health and wellbeing of mother-infant dyads. Ideally these interventions should build on culturally sanctioned life affirming behaviours such as breastfeeding, promoting post-partum rest and recovery, while modifying the potentially harmful aspects of other cultural practices in the perinatal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanti Raman
- School of Public Health & Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, & South Western Sydney Local Health District, Health Services Building Level 3, Cnr Campbell & Goulburn St, Liverpool, NSW, 2170, Australia.
| | - Rachel Nicholls
- Faculty of Health, University of Technology, Sydney Level 7, 235 Jones St, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Jan Ritchie
- School of Public Health & Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Samuels Building, Gate 11, Botany Street, Randwick, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Husna Razee
- School of Public Health & Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Samuels Building, Gate 11, Botany Street, Randwick, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Samaneh Shafiee
- School of Public Health & Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Samuels Building, Gate 11, Botany Street, Randwick, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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Zamawe FC. The Implication of Using NVivo Software in Qualitative Data Analysis: Evidence-Based Reflections. Malawi Med J 2015; 27:13-5. [PMID: 26137192 PMCID: PMC4478399 DOI: 10.4314/mmj.v27i1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
For a long time, electronic data analysis has been associated with quantitative methods. However, Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS) are increasingly being developed. Although the CAQDAS has been there for decades, very few qualitative health researchers report using it. This may be due to the difficulties that one has to go through to master the software and the misconceptions that are associated with using CAQDAS. While the issue of mastering CAQDAS has received ample attention, little has been done to address the misconceptions associated with CAQDAS. In this paper, the author reflects on his experience of interacting with one of the popular CAQDAS (NVivo) in order to provide evidence-based implications of using the software. The key message is that unlike statistical software, the main function of CAQDAS is not to analyse data but rather to aid the analysis process, which the researcher must always remain in control of. In other words, researchers must equally know that no software can analyse qualitative data. CAQDAS are basically data management packages, which support the researcher during analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- F C Zamawe
- Durham University - Anthropology, Durham, Durham DH1 3LE United Kingdom
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