dw.com
Stigma Hinders Healthcare Access in Indonesia
In Indonesia, women, particularly those unmarried or from marginalized groups, face significant stigma when accessing healthcare services, leading to delayed diagnoses and treatment, despite government initiatives like free annual health checkups.
- What are the immediate consequences of stigma in Indonesian healthcare, particularly concerning reproductive health access?
- In Indonesia, women face stigmatization when accessing healthcare services, particularly regarding reproductive health. Baila, a 28-year-old woman, encountered this when seeking birth control pills despite having a doctor's prescription. This stigma leads to delayed diagnoses and treatment, causing significant mental health issues.
- How do systemic issues within Indonesian healthcare contribute to the stigmatization of marginalized groups seeking medical services?
- A study in the Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal highlights the widespread avoidance of reproductive healthcare due to stigma, especially among unmarried youth. This is further evidenced by the discriminatory experiences of marginalized groups like sex workers, the LGBTQ+ community, and the poor who face verbal and nonverbal discrimination from healthcare professionals. This impacts access to crucial services.
- What are the long-term societal impacts of persistent stigmatization within the Indonesian healthcare system, and what strategies can effectively combat it?
- Indonesia's recent initiative of free annual health checkups aims to improve access, but the persistent stigma within the medical system hinders its effectiveness. Addressing this requires cultural change within the medical field and improved accessibility for marginalized groups, including those with disabilities. This includes improving infrastructure and training healthcare workers to interact respectfully with patients.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the issue primarily through the experiences of individuals facing stigma, highlighting the emotional toll and discriminatory practices. This framing effectively humanizes the issue and emphasizes the need for change, but it might benefit from including more data or statistics to support the claims about the prevalence of stigma.
Language Bias
The article uses relatively neutral language, avoiding overtly judgmental or loaded terms. However, some phrases like "kelompok marjinal" (marginalized groups) could be replaced with more specific descriptions to avoid generalizations. The use of direct quotes from individuals adds authenticity and emotional impact.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the stigma faced by unmarried women seeking contraceptives and individuals from marginalized groups accessing healthcare, but it omits discussion of potential systemic issues contributing to the problem, such as a lack of comprehensive sex education or limited access to affordable healthcare options. While the article mentions government initiatives, it doesn't delve into their effectiveness or limitations in addressing the root causes of stigma.
Gender Bias
The article primarily focuses on the experiences of women facing stigma in accessing reproductive healthcare. While this is a significant issue, it could be strengthened by including more perspectives from other marginalized groups affected by healthcare stigma, ensuring a more balanced representation.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the negative impact of stigma and discrimination within the medical field in Indonesia, hindering access to healthcare for marginalized groups and individuals. This directly affects their physical and mental well-being, delaying diagnosis and treatment, and causing significant distress. The experiences shared by Baila, Margo, and Dr. Sandra demonstrate the barriers faced by individuals seeking healthcare due to stigma related to their marital status, disability, or perceived social standing. The lack of inclusive and non-discriminatory healthcare services prevents individuals from achieving good health and well-being as stated by the UUD 1945 and UU No.17 Tahun 2023.