Structural and Socioeconomic Barriers to Maternal Healthcare Access in an Underserved Coastal Community in the Philippines

Maternal healthcare access remains challenging in geographically isolated and underserved communities where structural and socioeconomic disadvantages can delay timely use of essential services. This study examined the barriers affecting maternal healthcare access among women in Barangay Buenavista, an underserved coastal community in Castilla, Sorsogon, Philippines. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional and correlational design was employed among 68 purposively selected respondents comprising pregnant women and mothers who had given birth within the previous two to three years. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed through frequencies, percentages, weighted means, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. The findings showed that accessibility and socioeconomic constraints were the most prominent barriers to maternal healthcare. Geographic isolation, transportation difficulty, distance from health facilities, out-of-pocket expenses, household responsibilities, employment insecurity, and limited financial capacity reduced women’s ability to obtain timely care. Educational attainment and monthly family income were negatively associated with perceived barriers, while the number of children was positively associated with greater access difficulties. These findings indicate that maternal healthcare inequities in coastal communities are driven largely by system-level and socioeconomic conditions rather than individual choice. Integrated interventions involving emergency transportation, strengthened referral systems, barangay-level maternal services, financial protection, and targeted support for low-income, low-education, and high-parity mothers are recommended to improve equitable access to maternal healthcare.