Couper Ian, Lediga Manoko Innocentia, Takalani Ndivhuho Beauty, Floss Mayara, Yeoh Alexandra E, Ferrara Alexandra, Wheatley Amber, Feasby Lara, de Oliveira Santana Marcela A, Wanjala Mercy N, Tukur Mustapha A, Kotian Sneha P, Rasic Veronika, Shirindza Vuthlarhi, Chater Alan Bruce, Koller Theadora Swift
Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.
Rural Remote Health. 2024 Feb;24(1):8792. doi: 10.22605/RRH8792. Epub 2024 Feb 4.
Rural communities continue to struggle to access quality healthcare services. Even in countries where the majority of the population live in rural and remote areas, resources are concentrated in big cities, and this is continuing. As a result, countries with the highest proportion of rural residents correlate with the poorest access, which has negative implications for the health and wellbeing of people. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) have been identified as key informants in the construction and implementation of policies aimed at addressing rural health issues. We sought to understand the perspectives of young HCPs, representing the potential future rural workforce, regarding the future of rural health care.
An interpretivist paradigm was adopted for the study. Data were collected in two phases over Zoom using semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Participants included selected HCPs who are members of Rural Seeds, which is a global movement for young HCPs. A total of 11 exploratory interviews and six FGDs were conducted. The 11 interviewees consisted of medical doctors and medical students from 10 countries classified at different levels of development by the WHO. The six FGDs ranged from three to nine participants, and they included medical doctors and medical students, nurses and rehabilitation therapists. Participants came from South Asia, Africa, Asia-Pacific, North America and Europe, and South America. Both interviews and FGDs were conducted in English, recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed utilising thematic analysis.
Similar themes were identified across both individual interviews and FGDs. The state of rural health care was perceived to be problematic by all the participants. Access to care, lack of equity and multiple socioeconomic challenges, particularly in relation to living conditions, human resources and infrastructure, were seen as the most significant issues in rural health care. Several ideas for addressing rural health issues, with examples, were proposed by the young HCPs from their perspectives as frontline healthcare providers. They particularly recognised the importance of addressing the local socioeconomic and developmental needs of rural communities, and the needs of present and future HCPs.
Young health professionals from across the world interested in a rural career have common concerns about the state of rural health in their countries and constructive insights into how these can be addressed. They suggest effective solutions that must include listening to their voices. This article is a step in that direction.
农村社区在获取优质医疗服务方面仍面临困难。即使在大多数人口居住在农村和偏远地区的国家，资源也集中在大城市，且这种情况仍在持续。因此，农村居民比例最高的国家往往医疗服务可及性最差，这对人们的健康和福祉产生了负面影响。医疗保健专业人员（HCPs）被视为制定和实施旨在解决农村卫生问题的政策的关键信息提供者。我们试图了解代表未来农村劳动力的年轻医疗保健专业人员对农村医疗保健未来的看法。
本研究采用解释主义范式。数据通过Zoom在两个阶段收集，采用半结构化个人访谈和焦点小组讨论（FGDs）。参与者包括选定的医疗保健专业人员，他们是“农村种子”的成员，“农村种子”是一个针对年轻医疗保健专业人员的全球运动。共进行了11次探索性访谈和6次焦点小组讨论。11名受访者包括来自世卫组织分类为不同发展水平的10个国家的医生和医学生。6次焦点小组讨论的参与者人数从3人到9人不等，包括医生、医学生、护士和康复治疗师。参与者来自南亚、非洲、亚太地区、北美、欧洲和南美洲。访谈和焦点小组讨论均用英语进行，录音并逐字转录。数据采用主题分析进行分析。
在个人访谈和焦点小组讨论中都发现了类似的主题。所有参与者都认为农村医疗保健状况存在问题。获得医疗服务、缺乏公平性以及多种社会经济挑战，特别是与生活条件、人力资源和基础设施相关的挑战，被视为农村医疗保健中最重要的问题。作为一线医疗服务提供者，年轻的医疗保健专业人员从他们的角度提出了一些解决农村卫生问题的想法，并举例说明。他们特别认识到满足农村社区当地社会经济和发展需求以及当前和未来医疗保健专业人员需求的重要性。
对农村职业感兴趣的来自世界各地的年轻卫生专业人员对本国农村卫生状况有着共同的担忧，并对如何解决这些问题有建设性的见解。他们提出了有效的解决方案，其中必须包括倾听他们的声音。本文朝着这个方向迈出了一步。
