Speaker
Description
Background: Women who live in crisis settings are three times more likely to die than those who live in peaceful environments. Person-centered maternity care (PCMC) is a fundamental human right for every woman, yet it is often overlooked in conflict contexts.
Objective: This scoping review aims to summarize person-centered maternity healthcare in fragile and conflict settings.
Methods: A scoping review of quantitative and/or qualitative approach was conducted to assess person-centered maternity care in humanitarian settings. Research that assessed dimensions of PCMC such as autonomy, dignity, privacy, communication, confidentiality, and supportive care were included. Electronic database searches of PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus and generic web searches (Google Scholar) were used to search for available evidence. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analyses criteria for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) statement. The data from the final selected articles was extracted into an Excel spreadsheet. Finally, we described the study characteristics and summarized the concept of person-centered care.
Results: A total of 889 articles were identified. After exclusion by title and abstract, 71 articles were eligible for full text review, and finally 16 articles were eligible for data extraction. Our finding revealed low respect and supportive care, poor communication and autonomy, and breach of privacy. Resource constraints, protracted insecurity, cultural and language barriers were attributed to poor person-centered sexual and reproductive health. The review identified several implemented interventions, including training for healthcare providers, access to language translators, social and cultural support programs, free healthcare services, and community engagement initiatives.
Conclusion and recommendations: There are significantly more reports of negative experiences of maternity healthcare services than positive ones. Prioritizing culturally appropriate approach, simulation-based training for healthcare providers on person-centered care, community engagement, and the integration of PCMC domains into existing health services are essential to improve service delivery.
