Abstract:
The aim of this study was to describe perceptions of maternal referrals in a rural district in Tanzania. Focus group
discussions (FGDs) with health workers and community members, stratified by age and gender, were conducted.
The FGDs revealed that husbands and relatives are the decision makers in maternal referrals, whereas the women
had limited influence, especially on emergency referrals. The process in deciding to seek referral care is envisaged
within community perception of seriousness of the condition, difficulty to access and cost involved in transport,
living expenses at the hospital, and perceived quality of care at facility level. The hospitals were seen as providing
acceptable quality of care, whereas, the health centres had lower quality than expected.
To improve maternal referral compliance and reduce perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality, community
views of existing referral guidelines, poverty reduction, women’s empowerment and male involvement in
maternal care are necessary.
