Improving access to government health care in rural bangladesh: the voice of older adult women

Our purpose in this study was to provide an in-depth understanding of the health-system-related barriers to utilization of health services by older women living in rural Bangladesh. Interviews were conducted with 17 women in Bibirchar Union, Sherpur district, Bangladesh, in June 2006. Three main barriers were identified: perceived discrimination based on age, class, and gender; structural aspects of the health care delivery system; and quality of care. Recommendations for change in the delivery of health care in the rural regions of Bangladesh are made based on the insights provided by this marginalized group of health care service users.