Assessing the availability, accessibility and affordability of health services by people living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda: a case study of Kiswa Health Center III, Bugolobi

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of availability, accessibility, and affordability of HIV care services on the quality of healthcare consumed by people living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. The study utilized three specific objectives namely; to examine the effect of availability of HIV care services on the quality of healthcare services consumed by PLWH, to assess the effect of accessibility of HIV care services on the quality of healthcare services consumed by PLWH, and to examine the effect of affordability of HIV care services on the quality of healthcare services consumed by PLWH. Simple random technique and convenient sampling were employed to select targeted 96 HIV patients to participate in the study and a structured questionnaire was used to collect the required data and SPSS 23.0 software was used in data analysis. The result of the analysis revealed that the registered a response rate of 100 percent. Slightly more than a half (58.3 percent) of the respondents were female. The study established that, for every one unit increase in the availability of HIV care services at Kiswa health center III, there was a predicted increase of 2.124 in the log odds of being at a higher level on the quality of HIV care services received by the patient. Also, for every one unit improvement in the accessibility of HIV care services at Kiswa health center III, there was a predicted decrease of 1.311 in the log odds of being at a higher level on the quality of HIV care services received by the patient. Furthermore, the result of the study established that, for every one unit improvement in the affordability of HIV care services at Kiswa health center III, there was a predicted decrease of 0.405 in the log odds of being at a higher level on the quality of HIV care services received by the patient. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the Ministry of Health should address structural issues such as maintaining adequate stocks of HIV commodities, and ensuring adequate staffing at the health facilities. In addition, the Ministry of Health should also set minimum standards for provision of HIV services for patients. These will enhance the quality of HIV care services received by patients. Furthermore, the researcher recommends that further study should be conducted to investigate the impact of the above variables in a private health facility to establish if similar results will also be obtained.