Exploring Barriers to Maternal and Child Health Care Access in Hoima Referral Hospital Catchment Area in Hoima District, Western Uganda

Maternal morbidity and mortality remain significant public health and humanitarian concerns. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 6,500 newborns and 810 mothers die each day due to pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications—an unacceptably high number. Most of these deaths are preventable with timely interventions. This study assessed the barriers to maternal and child health care access within the Hoima Referral Hospital catchment area in Hoima District, Western Uganda. A community-based, qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted. Data collection involved structured interviews, after which the principal investigator reviewed completed questionnaires for consistency and completeness. The data was coded, cleaned, and entered into Microsoft Excel before being analyzed using SPSS software version 20. A total of 350 participants were interviewed. The majority (48.0%) were aged 26–35 years, married (77.4%), had attained secondary education (36.6%), and identified as Catholic (35.4%). Several barriers to maternal and child health service uptake were identified, including low-income levels, lack of family support, limited decision-making capacity, inadequate knowledge of pregnancy danger signs, poor road infrastructure to health facilities, lack of privacy at health centers, long distances to health facilities, negative attitudes of healthcare providers, and the gender of the healthcare provider. This study highlights the complex and multidimensional socio-economic and health system challenges that hinder access to maternal and child health services. Socio-economic barriers include low income, limited decision-making capacity, lack of family support, inadequate knowledge of pregnancy danger signs, reliance on traditional birth attendants, and poor road networks. Health system barriers include lack of privacy in health facilities, long distances to healthcare centers, negative attitudes of healthcare providers, and gender preferences in healthcare provision. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach involving community engagement, improved healthcare infrastructure, and policies that enhance maternal and child health service utilization. Keywords: Maternal morbidity and mortality, Healthcare access barriers, Maternal and child health services, Socio-economic factors, Health system challenges