Vulnérabilité et accès aux soins des personnes âgées en milieu rural au Cameroun: une étude de cas dans l’arrondissement de Foumban

Abstract

This research focuses on: “Vulnerability and access to care among people in rural areas in Cameroon: A case study in the district of Foumban » In a context where the question of the state of health and care of the elderly in Africa is becoming worrying, it was observed during the exploratory investigations that at Cameroon, more specifically in rural areas, the living conditions of the elderly become very critical. Faced with actions of support from the State, from family/relatives, we note that the health situation of the elderly in Cameroon in general and in the district of Foumban in particular is problematic and is increasingly subject to sociological issues. This study aims to highlight the multiple challenges that elderly people in vulnerable situations face in accessing care health in rural areas in Cameroon. More precisely, it is a question of showing the forms of vulnerabilities encountered by these elderly people, but also the care strategies and support networks set up to solve their health problem. The hypothesis that has been subject to verification, relates to the fact that, in rural areas, older people are in a situation of multiple and permanent vulnerability. The verification of this proposal required a qualitative approach. Theoretically, it is based on the phenomenological constructivism of P. Berger and T. Luckman, ethnomethodology from A. Garfinkel, and P. Merckle's sociology of networks. Empirically, this work is based on life stories, direct observation, semi-structured interview and documentary observation. The study is divided into two major times. The first moment focuses on the situation of vulnerability of the elderly in rural environment and the social representations built around them. The second moment when to him, dwells on the conditions of accessibility, the strategies and the support networks of elderly people facing health care in the district of Foumban; but also at the situation of care for these elderly people in health facilities. The results reached by this study indicate first of all that, the elderly in the district of Foumban are victims of infrastructural, economic vulnerability and sanitary. Then, to solve their health problem, these elderly people set up care strategies based on modern and traditional medicine: they are also recourse to support networks such as family, relatives (natural caregivers); Finally, this study has shown that the action of the State with regard to the care of the elderly in the rural environment remains very limited.