Elderly women’s healthcare access in rural Bangladesh – a silent voice

Bangladesh is identified as one of the poorest countries with disparities in access to healthcare services, especially in rural areas. A significant proportion of the country’s poorest citizens are rural elderly women. The increased longevity and the compounding effects of acute and chronic illness often mean that elderly women are in more need of medical treatment than other populations. Despite medical treatment requirements, access to healthcare services for elderly rural women does not feature in governmental health care policy or in the existing research literature. The purpose of the study is to explore the factors and issues impacting on elderly women’s healthcare access in rural Bangladesh.