This study investigated perceptions of challenges for patients and health care workers (HCW) in dealing with preeclampsia in Blantyre, Malawi using a validated indepth interview guide.

From a patient’s perspective, psychological stress, inadequate information, physical symptoms, and delay in receiving care were the challenges associated with managing their preeclampsia. Late diagnosis, inadequate skills, staff burn out, inadequate resources both at QECH and referring sites were the identified by HCW.

Engaging women in their care, providing sufficient information and timely intervention could reduce the psychological burden of preeclampsia on mothers, and improve clinical outcomes Supplying sufficient resources in primary health centres as well as secondary level of care for t women screened to be at risk of preeclampsia would improve maternal outcomes.

Lastly, addressing patients and health worker challenges provides a golden opportunity to improve comprehensive ANC for pregnant women.

This study investigated perceptions of the challenges for patients and health care workers (HCW) in dealing with preeclampsia in Blantyre, Malawi.

A descriptive cross-sectional formative study using semi-structured In-Depth Interviews (IDI) was conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), Malawi. Data was analyzed using NVIVO™ software. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze and interpret the findings. Emerging themes were then developed inductively and deductively. Patients were interviewed who recently had preeclampsia.

Stress, lack of information, physical symptoms, delay in receiving care were identified challenges to better care among patients as well as the impact of poor pregnancy outcomes. Late diagnosis, staff burn out, inadequate skills and lack of resources were expressed as challenge to provide better management by the interviewed HCWs.

Our study showed that a diagnosis of preeclampsia is challenging to both patients and HCWs. These challenges need to be addressed carefully at all levels for optimal management of preeclampsia in Malawi, Africa and in order to improve outcomes.

Challenges

Patients

Health worker

Preeclampsia

Malawi

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy.