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. 2022 Sep 29;19(19):12428.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912428.

Experiences and Expectations of the Characteristics of Friendly Primary Health Services from the Perspective of Men: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

Muhammad Zikri Ab Aziz  1 , Tengku Alina Tengku Ismail  1 , Mohd Ismail Ibrahim  1 , Najib Majdi Yaacob  1 , Zakiah Mohd Said  2
Affiliations

Experiences and Expectations of the Characteristics of Friendly Primary Health Services from the Perspective of Men: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study

Muhammad Zikri Ab Aziz et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Inadequate men's engagement with health services may be influenced by unmet needs and demands of the local men's community. This study aimed to explore men's experiences with primary health services and their expectations of the characteristics of friendly primary health services, from the perspective of men in Kelantan, Malaysia. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews was conducted with 15 men from six primary health facilities in Kelantan, Malaysia, who were selected based on maximum variation sampling. The data were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. The study found that experiences with the existing primary health services were categorized into four subthemes: provision of health services, health promotion delivery, attributes of healthcare providers, and the physical environment of the health facilities. Meanwhile, the expectations of the characteristics of friendly primary health services were categorized into four subthemes: meeting the needs of men in primary health services, approaching men through effective health promotion strategies, standards of a healthcare provider from the viewpoint of men, and a comfortable physical environment for men. Prior experiences hugely influenced men's expectations of friendly primary health services. Men want these health service characteristics customized to meet their needs, allowing them to use health services with confidence and comfort. Thus, to strengthen primary health services for men, it is essential to comprehend their prior experiences with and expectations of the services.

Keywords: expectation; experience; friendly primary health services; men; qualitative study.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The authors have no personal circumstances or interests that may inappropriately influence the presentation or interpretation of the reported research results. As the study had no external funder, there was no funder role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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