Cargando…

The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda

Many countries across the world instituted lockdowns as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, these lockdowns had consequences on health systems. This study explored effects of the COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda. The qualitative study employed...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Musoke, David, Nalinya, Sarah, Lubega, Grace Biyinzika, Deane, Kevin, Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth, McCoy, David
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10021763/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36963035
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001494
_version_ 1784908573065609216
author Musoke, David
Nalinya, Sarah
Lubega, Grace Biyinzika
Deane, Kevin
Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth
McCoy, David
author_facet Musoke, David
Nalinya, Sarah
Lubega, Grace Biyinzika
Deane, Kevin
Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth
McCoy, David
author_sort Musoke, David
collection PubMed
description Many countries across the world instituted lockdowns as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, these lockdowns had consequences on health systems. This study explored effects of the COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda. The qualitative study employed focus group discussions (FGDs), household interviews, and key informant interviews (KIIs) in both an urban (Kampala district) and rural (Wakiso district) setting in central Uganda. Fourteen FGDs were conducted among community members, local leaders, community health workers, and health practitioners. Interviews were conducted among 40 households, while 31 KIIs were held among various stakeholders including policy makers, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector. Data was analysed by thematic analysis with the support of NVivo 2020 (QSR International). Findings from the study are presented under four themes: maternal and reproductive health; child health; chronic disease services; and mental health. Maternal and reproductive health services were negatively affected by the lockdown measures which resulted in reduced utilisation of antenatal, postnatal and family planning services. These effects were mainly due to travel restrictions including curfew, and fear of contracting COVID-19. The effects on child health included reduced utilisation of services which was a result of difficulties faced in accessing health facilities because of the travel restrictions. Patients with chronic conditions could not access health facilities for their routine visits particularly due to suspension of public transport. Depression, stress and anxiety were common due to social isolation from relatives and friends, loss of jobs, and fear of law enforcement personnel. There was also increased anxiety among health workers due to fear of contracting COVID-19. The COVID-19 lockdown measures negatively affected health, and reduced access to maternal, reproductive and child health services. Future interventions in pandemic response should ensure that their effects on health and access to health services are minimised.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-10021763
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2023
publisher Public Library of Science
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-100217632023-03-17 The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda Musoke, David Nalinya, Sarah Lubega, Grace Biyinzika Deane, Kevin Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth McCoy, David PLOS Glob Public Health Research Article Many countries across the world instituted lockdowns as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, these lockdowns had consequences on health systems. This study explored effects of the COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda. The qualitative study employed focus group discussions (FGDs), household interviews, and key informant interviews (KIIs) in both an urban (Kampala district) and rural (Wakiso district) setting in central Uganda. Fourteen FGDs were conducted among community members, local leaders, community health workers, and health practitioners. Interviews were conducted among 40 households, while 31 KIIs were held among various stakeholders including policy makers, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector. Data was analysed by thematic analysis with the support of NVivo 2020 (QSR International). Findings from the study are presented under four themes: maternal and reproductive health; child health; chronic disease services; and mental health. Maternal and reproductive health services were negatively affected by the lockdown measures which resulted in reduced utilisation of antenatal, postnatal and family planning services. These effects were mainly due to travel restrictions including curfew, and fear of contracting COVID-19. The effects on child health included reduced utilisation of services which was a result of difficulties faced in accessing health facilities because of the travel restrictions. Patients with chronic conditions could not access health facilities for their routine visits particularly due to suspension of public transport. Depression, stress and anxiety were common due to social isolation from relatives and friends, loss of jobs, and fear of law enforcement personnel. There was also increased anxiety among health workers due to fear of contracting COVID-19. The COVID-19 lockdown measures negatively affected health, and reduced access to maternal, reproductive and child health services. Future interventions in pandemic response should ensure that their effects on health and access to health services are minimised. Public Library of Science 2023-01-23 /pmc/articles/PMC10021763/ /pubmed/36963035 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001494 Text en © 2023 Musoke et al https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Research Article
Musoke, David
Nalinya, Sarah
Lubega, Grace Biyinzika
Deane, Kevin
Ekirapa-Kiracho, Elizabeth
McCoy, David
The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda
title The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda
title_full The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda
title_fullStr The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda
title_short The effects of COVID-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in Uganda
title_sort effects of covid-19 lockdown measures on health and healthcare services in uganda
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10021763/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36963035
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0001494
work_keys_str_mv AT musokedavid theeffectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT nalinyasarah theeffectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT lubegagracebiyinzika theeffectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT deanekevin theeffectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT ekirapakirachoelizabeth theeffectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT mccoydavid theeffectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT musokedavid effectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT nalinyasarah effectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT lubegagracebiyinzika effectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT deanekevin effectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT ekirapakirachoelizabeth effectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda
AT mccoydavid effectsofcovid19lockdownmeasuresonhealthandhealthcareservicesinuganda