Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: A qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital

Authors: Arnold, R., Van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I.

Journal: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Volume: 122

Issue: 2

Pages: 260-267

eISSN: 1471-0528

ISSN: 1470-0328

DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13179

Abstract:

Objective To analyse the culture of a Kabul maternity hospital to understand the perspectives of healthcare providers on their roles, experiences, values and motivations and the impact of these determinants on the care of perinatal women and their babies.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/21587/

Source: Scopus

Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: a qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital.

Authors: Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I.

Journal: BJOG

Volume: 122

Issue: 2

Pages: 260-267

eISSN: 1471-0528

DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13179

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the culture of a Kabul maternity hospital to understand the perspectives of healthcare providers on their roles, experiences, values and motivations and the impact of these determinants on the care of perinatal women and their babies. DESIGN: Qualitative ethnographic study. SETTING: A maternity hospital, Afghanistan. POPULATION: Doctors, midwives and care assistants. METHODS: Six weeks of observation followed by 22 semi-structured interviews and four informal group discussions with staff, two focus group discussions with women and 41 background interviews with Afghan and non-Afghan medical and cultural experts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The culture of care in an Afghan maternity hospital. RESULTS: A large workload, high proportion of complicated cases and poor staff organisation affected the quality of care. Cultural values, social and family pressures influenced the motivation and priorities of healthcare providers. Nepotism and cronyism created inequality in clinical training and support and undermined the authority of management to improve standards of care. Staff without powerful connections were vulnerable in a punitive inequitable environment-fearing humiliation, blame and the loss of employment. CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal care put the lives of women and babies at risk and was, in part, the result of conflicting priorities. The underlying motivation of staff appeared to be the socio-economic survival of their own families. The hospital culture closely mirrored the culture and core values of Afghan society. In setting priorities for women's health post-2015 Millennium Development Goals, understanding the context-specific pressures on staff is key to more effective programme interventions and sustainability.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/21587/

Source: PubMed

Preferred by: Edwin van Teijlingen

Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: a qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital

Authors: Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I.

Journal: BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

Volume: 122

Issue: 2

Pages: 260-267

eISSN: 1471-0528

ISSN: 1470-0328

DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13179

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/21587/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: a qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital.

Authors: Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I.

Journal: BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology

Volume: 122

Issue: 2

Pages: 260-267

eISSN: 1471-0528

ISSN: 1470-0328

DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13179

Abstract:

Objective

To analyse the culture of a Kabul maternity hospital to understand the perspectives of healthcare providers on their roles, experiences, values and motivations and the impact of these determinants on the care of perinatal women and their babies.

Design

Qualitative ethnographic study.

Setting

A maternity hospital, Afghanistan.

Population

Doctors, midwives and care assistants.

Methods

Six weeks of observation followed by 22 semi-structured interviews and four informal group discussions with staff, two focus group discussions with women and 41 background interviews with Afghan and non-Afghan medical and cultural experts.

Main outcome measures

The culture of care in an Afghan maternity hospital.

Results

A large workload, high proportion of complicated cases and poor staff organisation affected the quality of care. Cultural values, social and family pressures influenced the motivation and priorities of healthcare providers. Nepotism and cronyism created inequality in clinical training and support and undermined the authority of management to improve standards of care. Staff without powerful connections were vulnerable in a punitive inequitable environment-fearing humiliation, blame and the loss of employment.

Conclusions

Suboptimal care put the lives of women and babies at risk and was, in part, the result of conflicting priorities. The underlying motivation of staff appeared to be the socio-economic survival of their own families. The hospital culture closely mirrored the culture and core values of Afghan society. In setting priorities for women's health post-2015 Millennium Development Goals, understanding the context-specific pressures on staff is key to more effective programme interventions and sustainability.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/21587/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: a qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital.

Authors: Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I.

Journal: BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume: 122

Issue: 2

Pages: 260-267

ISSN: 1471-0528

Abstract:

To analyse the culture of a Kabul maternity hospital to understand the perspectives of healthcare providers on their roles, experiences, values and motivations and the impact of these determinants on the care of perinatal women and their babies.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/21587/

Source: BURO EPrints