Challenges in Palliative Care Provision in Ethiopia: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Palliative Care Research
• Healthcare Systems Analysis

Background:

• Increasing prevalence of chronic illnesses in Ethiopia necessitates improved palliative care services.
• Current palliative care provision is inadequate to meet patient and family needs.
• Exploration of challenges in palliative care delivery is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the multifaceted challenges hindering palliative care provision in Ethiopia.
• To identify patient, provider, health system, and partnership-related barriers.
• To inform strategies for enhancing palliative care services.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory study design.
• Data collected via 29 in-depth interviews and 5 focus group discussions.
• Thematic analysis using ATLAS-ti 7.0 software.

Main Results:

• Patient-related challenges: delayed care, lack of awareness, treatment discontinuation, poor follow-up.
• Provider-related challenges: lack of awareness, inadequate training, curriculum gaps, limited research.
• Health system and partnership challenges: drug shortages, limited specialized services, weak linkages, and inter-organizational collaboration gaps.

Conclusions:

• Palliative care in Ethiopia is constrained by patient, provider, health system, and partnership factors.
• Addressing these identified challenges is vital for improving palliative care service delivery.
• Recommendations for enhancing palliative care provision are implied.