Introduction Hypothesis Methods Results Discussion ...

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Aedine Peyou Ndi, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience,. Montana State University-Bozeman. Marlyse Peyou Ndi, PhD, MPH, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
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Perceptions of Healthcare Shortage and its Effect on Quality of Life in the Yaoundé and Nomayos/Mbankomo Area in Cameroon Aedine Peyou Ndi, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Montana State University-Bozeman Marlyse Peyou Ndi, PhD, MPH, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Introduction Concerning healthcare, Cameroon as a whole is struggling. It has a life expectancy of 56 years old and for every 10 000 people there are 0.8 physicians and 4.4 nurses/midwives (WHO, 2014). Yet, in the capital, Yaoundé and one of its surrounding village areas, Nomayos/Mbankomo, not much is known about what locals think of Westernization of healthcare and its limited access. It is important to know what locals believe as they hold the key to change (Ayittey, 2005).

Results Current Future Resource Forms of Production Base Labor, Self-owned business development

Figure 2a: My Brother Sitting on Porch of Our Ancestor’s mud house in Nomayos

The goal of this study was to use the holistic process (Savory and Butterfield, 1999) to understand local perceptions in Yaoundé and Nomayos/Mbankomo area regarding health care shortage and how this impacts their quality of life. This study provides an opportunity for the people, starting with the Yaoundé area, to share their ideas of health care and how limited health care access should be resolved.

Figure 2b: Sprawling City of Yaoundé from Mont Febé Hill

Figure 3: The Holistic Diagram demonstrating certain percentages of survey responses

Labor, Searching for jobs, Prayer/Going to Church, Going to school

Nomayos/Mbankomo Medicine Preference

Hypothesis

Methods In-depth surveys were administered in Yaoundé and Nomayos/Mbankomo areas. Surveys had two parts; holistic process and health perceptions. 36 individuals completed survey in Nomayos/Mbankomo, and 65 individuals completed survey in Yaoundé. Analysis was similar to Grounded Theory (Dapi et al., 2007). This study received an exemption from the Institutional Review Board at MSU on October 31, 2014

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Western Traditional Both

95%

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I tested the hypothesis that limited access to health care negatively impacts quality of life of the Yaoundé and Nomayos/Mbankomo people.

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Health Access Perceptions in Yaounde and Nomayos/Mbankomo

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Yaounde Medicine Preference

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12

9

10

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5

0

0

1

0

Financially Difficult

Geographically Geographically Difficult Accessible Nomayos (N=36)

Central Intelligence Agency. (2014) Cameroon [Photographs]. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/cm.html Dapi N; Omokolo, C; Janlert, U; Dahlgren, L; and Haglin, L. (2007). “I want to be happy, to be strong, and to live.” Perceptions of rural and urban adolescents in Cameroon, Africa. J Nutr Educ Behav. 39(6):320-6 Savory, A. and R. Butterfield 1999. Holistic Management: A new framework for decision making. Island Press. Washington, D.C. (Chapters 9 and 10)

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Literature Cited Ayittey, G.B.N. 2005. Africa unchained: The blueprint for Africa’s future. Palgrave, Macmillan. N.Y. 483 pp. (pp. 365-446 , last 2 chapters

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Based on input of locals, recommendations are: • Increase healthcare access by building rural health care centers, and increasing highly skilled health workforce, and equipment • The government of Cameroon should make healthcare access a priority, and create health care insurance • Create a sustainable form of healthcare in Cameroon that enables integration of Western and Traditional medicine.

Have a stable Job (to live comfortably) –22%, To be Forms of in good health—6%, Production “Success” –9%

God/Spiritual Life – 33% Family – 15% Money – 68 %

Interestingly, more individuals in Yaoundé preferred traditional medicine than Nomayos/Mbankomo individuals. This could be due to the bigger sample size in Yaoundé. When it comes to the question: “what would make you happy?” many individuals listed finances. Finances are also a significant barrier to health care access for both rural and urban individuals. This finding suggests lack of finances and opportunities for financial growth negatively impacts quality of life, and health care access.

Recommendations

What would make you happy? Future Resources Needed

Figure 1: Map of Cameroon (CIA 2014)

God/Spiritual Life–54% Family – 22% Money – 26 %

Discussion

Financially Accessible

Healthcare is Accessible

13% 17% 70%

Western Traditional Both

Yaounde (N = 65)

Table 1: Perceptions of healthcare access in Yaoundé and Nomayos/Mbankomo areas. Each bar represents number of individuals responding in each category.

Figure 4: Type of Medicine Preferred by Rural and Urban Individuals in Cameroon.

World Health Organization. (2014). Cameroon: Health Profile. Retrieved November 30, 2014 from http://www.who.int/gho/countries/cmr.pdf?ua=1.

Acknowledgements My heart is heavy with thankfulness for my mother and site mentor, Dr. Marlyse Peyou Ndi for immensely helping me with this project. I am also very thankful for Dr. Florence Dunkel for her mentorship, flexibility, patience and help!