Analysis of the Challenges to Healthcare Access among the Economically Disadvantaged Population during the Movement Control Order for COVID-19 Pandemic in Selangor - Malaysia

Background and Aim: The Healthcare systems all over the world were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the burden is affecting the economically disadvantaged population (B40). This study aims to determine the challenges to healthcare access among B40 populations during the movement control order (MCO) for COVID-19 pandemic in Selangor, Malaysia.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done using a remote data collection method by distribution of questionnaires to 381 participants among the B40 populations in Selangor.

Results: The response rate was 80%. The participants agreed that it was very easy (16.3%), easy (29.1%) and moderate (28.3%) to access healthcare services during the pandemic. The challenges faced by the participants in accessing the healthcare service include transportation (35.4%), distance to obtain health care service (19.4%), delay in getting the service (38.1%), E-health service (18.6%), financial support for travel (18.6%) and financial support for healthcare service (35.7%). Participants who reduced spending on essential needs during the pandemic were 45.9%. More than half of the participants (61.4%) do not have a health financial protection plan as the government is subsidizing almost 98% of the healthcare cost. During the MCO period, 50.9% of the participants utilized the outpatient services which comprises 70.1% of public facilities and 29.9% of private facilities. In contrast, only 13.9% of participants utilized inpatient services from which public and private facilities were 75.5% and 24.5% respectively. The result shows the response of the study participants according to the satisfactory/dissatisfactory level regarding the quality of service being effective (45.8%/ 2.5%), safe (48.3%/ 2.0%), people centered (51.7%/ 2.0%), timely (37.4%/ 13.8%), equitable (47.8%/ 2.0%) and integrated (40.4%/ 3.0%).

Conclusion: It is concluded that healthcare services were accessible among the B40 population during the COVID-19 in Selangor and the biggest challenge was the delay in medical services.