Accessibility to healthcare for the aged in Bangladesh : an assessment | |
| Author | Abdullah, JM |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.RD-16-12 |
| Subject(s) | Health services administration--Bangladesh Health surveys--Bangladesh |
| Note | 111 leaves : ill. |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. RD-16-12 |
| Abstract | The research assessed how much the healthcare services are accessible for the elderly people living in rural and semi-urban areas in Bangladesh. In the backdrop of increasing number of elderly people in the country the research tried to examine the prevalence of diseases, availability, accessibility and affordability of health services for the aged as well as their satisfaction on health services. Analyzing both the quantitative and qualitative type of primary data collected through survey in two districts selected following sampling method, interview, focus group discussion with elderly people and key informant interviews, the study found that elderly people have high prevalence of chronic diseases. For getting treatment of these diseases they have easy access to upazila hospitals, but there has a dearth of specialist doctors and diagnostic facilities. These facilities are available in district, national level hospitals and private hospitals which are not geographically easily accessible. However, expenses in those hospitals are not affordable to all. Elderly people from higher income groups only can afford these treatments and others who cannot afford the cost continue their treatment at upazila hospitals or resort to alternative medicine. It also found that there is no separate arrangement for elderly people in public hospitals and they are supposed to receive healthcare from the existing healthcare delivery system. In accessing healthcare no significant variation was found among elderly people from rural and semi-urban areas, but there were variations between male and female due to their economic status. Satisfaction on existing health facilities are assessed to get a complete understanding of accessibility to healthcare. The research found that elderly people are not satisfied with the treatment of chronic diseases at upazila hospitals and they also were not satisfied with pathological, radiology and imaging facilities. To get better services they move to district or national level hospitals or private diagnostic centres far away from rural area and this truncate accessibility to health services for the elderly people. The research suggested deploying specialist doctors and enhancing diagnostic facilities at are upazila level hospitals, arranging separate unit for elderly in public hospitals, incorporating courses on gerontology in medical curriculum to produce doctors, engaging private sector in elderly healthcare through policy guidelines and commissioning research to find ways for elderly healthcare. |
| Year | 2016 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. RD-16-12 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Rural Development, Gender and Resources (RD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ahmad, Mokbul Morshed; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Soparth Pongquan;Philippe Doneys; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2016 |