Health seeking behaviors of women living with obstetric fistula in
Zimbabwe: A qualitative cross sectional study
Abstract
Objective: To explore and understand health-seeking behaviors of women
affected by obstetric fistula in Zimbabwe and to determine reasons women
stayed with their fistula. Design: A cross sectional qualitative study
was conducted using in-depth interview guides. Setting: Chinhoyi
Provincial Hospital, the main fistula repair center in Zimbabwe. Study
population: Women who had come for fistula repair between November and
December 2019 were the study population for this study. Methods: All
women who had come for fistula repair during the study period, who
consented to participate were purposively enrolled into the study. Those
who did not consent were excluded. In-depth interviews were audio
recorded and transcribed into written scripts and analyzed using NVIVO
10. Main outcome measures: Health seeking behaviors of fistula survivors
and reasons for living with fistula. Results: Twenty-one of the 29 women
who had come for the fistula camp, were enrolled. Mean period staying
with fistula was 4.7 years (SD±12). Participants sought help from faith
and spiritual healers first before medical help for fistula but all
sought medical care at one time during or after delivery. Reasons cited
for staying with fistula included lack of knowledge of availability of
repair services, lack of resources and powerlessness in decision making.
Conclusions: Barriers to access should be addressed so that women get
the treatment they require. Since all participants accessed a health
facility at one point, medical care could be offered for prevention and
care of fistula Funding: Nil Key words: Obstetric fistula; Health
seeking behavior; Zimbabwe