“Who'll do all these if I'm not around?”: Bonding social capital and health and well-being of inpatients

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Although social capital influences health-related decisions and behavioural patterns in many developing countries, minimal attention has been paid to the nuances of its effect on healthcare. This paper examines how bonding social capital affects healthcare delivery for inpatients in Ghana.

Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used and thematic analysis method employed to analyse the data. Interviews were conducted with health professionals and relatives and close friends of inpatients in three public health facilities in Ashanti region.

Results: Relatives and close friends of inpatients were a critical source of instrumental support such as provision of meals, laundry services, running errands and financial assistance as well as emotional support. These functions—that were both ‘expected’ and ‘encouraged’— reduced the burden on the health facilities, which apparently had limited resources to offer adequate care. However, the relatives of inpatients sometimes inadvertently obstructed efficient healthcare delivery through actions such as extending ‘unapproved’ alternative care to patients. Moreover, the process of contributing towards health and well-being of the sick exposed the relatives to health risks due to poor living conditions.

Conclusion: A well-defined and befitting role must be devised for at least an immediate social relation of inpatients to improve the positive effects of bonding social capital on healthcare delivery.

KEYWORDS:

• bonding social capital
• healthcare delivery
• inpatients
• health and well-being
• Ghana

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Padmore Adusei Amoah

Padmore Adusei Amoah, PhD, is an Assistant Professor (Research) at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. His research focuses on health-related inequalities, social epidemiology and health promotion among youth, elderly and general populations. Padmore embraces both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Adwoa Owusuaa Koduah

Adwoa Owusuaa Koduah, is a Registered Nurse with over seven years experience. She is currently an MPhil. student at the School of Nursing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research borders on health promotion (health literacy), particularly among mental health nurses in developing countries.

Razak Mohammed Gyasi

Razak Mohammed Gyasi is a Social and Health Policy Researcher at Lingnan University, Hong Kong. His research interest is eclectic at the intersection of global health, ageing and health-seeking behaviour, age-friendly communities, integrative medicine and health services research. His current work involves ageing, health, psychological well-being and health-seeking behaviour. His works appear in Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Women & Health, Journal of Community Health, Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine and Complementary Therapies in Medicine.