%0 Journal Article
%T An Analysis of the Problems Users Experience in Public Health Care Facilities in Trinidad and Tobago
%A Bennie Berkeley
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 6
%N 7
%P 1-13
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2019
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1105364
%X <div style="text-align:justify;">
	<span style="line-height:1.5;">This paper is based on research that aimed to understand the main problems or challenges affecting users of public healthcare facilities in Trinidad and Toba-go. The research utilized the Generic Qualitative Method (GQM) with a sample of 20, mainly female participants who self-identified as being lower class or lower middle class. Its purpose was to perform a partial SWOT or W-analysis by exploring perceived weaknesses in the public healthcare system. The re-search was conducted in East Trinidad and analyzed participants¡¯ actual or vi-carious experiences. Four main problems/challenges were identified: long waiting t</span><span style="line-height:1.5;">ime, inadequate health financing, poor maintenance, and social ine-quality. All four challenges were interrelated and were explained in terms of the ¡°primary effects of social stratification¡±; that is users¡¯ low status position in society. ¡°Primary effects of stratification¡± implies that users waited longer on health providers (doctors and nurses) in health facilities that users perceived received too little state funding. This is evidenced by participants¡¯ claim that public health facilities were poorly maintained and that there was acute short-age of efficiently functioning medical technology. Increased spending on pub-lic health care was thought to be the main solution to this country¡¯s health care problems.</span>
</div>
%K Public Healthcare
%K Partial SWOT Analysis
%K Primary Effects of Stratification
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/5343323