Who benefits from increased service utilisation? Examining the distributional effects of payment for performance in Tanzania
Background: Payment for performance (P4P) strategies, which provide financial incentives to health workers and/or facilities for reaching pre-defined performance targets, can improve healthcare utilisation and quality. P4P may also reduce inequalities in healthcare use and access by enhancing universal access to care, for example, through reducing the financial barriers to accessing care. However, P4P may […]
Prevalence and outcome of teenage hospital births at the buea health district, South West Region, Cameroon
Background: Teenage pregnancy is a high-risk condition that requires skilled antenatal care for good outcome. World estimates in 2008 report about 16 million births to adolescent mothers, most of them occurring in low and middle-income countries. In Cameroon, about 12 % of all births are to adolescent mothers. This study determines the prevalence of hospital […]
The efficacy of maternal health education and maternal screening on knowledge and the uptake of infant screening for sickle cell disease in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania; a quasi experimental study
Background: Globally, Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common genetic disease with high childhood mortality. Early identification of babies with SCD through newborn screening (NBS) and linking them to care are among the recommended interventions. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of maternal health education and maternal screening […]
Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy: A new delivery system and its effect on maternal health and pregnancy outcomes in Uganda
Objective: To assess whether traditional birth attendants, drug-shop vendors, community reproductive-health workers, or adolescent peer mobilizers could administer intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) for malaria with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to pregnant women. Methods: A non-randomized community trial was implemented in 21 community clusters (intervention) and four clusters where health units provided routine IPTp (control). The primary outcome measures […]
Student and preceptor perceptions of primary health care clinical placements during pre-service education: Qualitative results from a quasi-experimental study
As a practice discipline, nursing education has a mandate to collaborate with all clinical settings, including primary health care (PHC), to prepare nursing students to function effectively in different settings upon deployment. Prior to 2011, nursing and midwifery students received minimal exposure to PHC settings in Lesotho. In 2010, the Maternal and Child Health Integrated […]
Determinants of maternal healthcare utilisation among pregnant women in Southern Ethiopia: a multi-level analysis
Background: Despite efforts to make maternal health care services available in rural Ethiopia, utilisation status remains low. Therefore, this study aimed to assess maternal health care services’ status and determinants in rural Ethiopia. Methods: The study used quasi-experimental pre- and post-comparison baseline data. A pretested, semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. A multilevel, […]
Does a voucher program improve reproductive health service delivery and access in Kenya? Health policies, systems and management
Background: Current assessments on Output-Based Aid (OBA) programs have paid limited attention to the experiences and perceptions of the healthcare providers and facility managers. This study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of healthcare providers and facility managers in the Kenya reproductive health output-based approach voucher program. Methods: A total of 69 in-depth interviews with […]
Effects of social health insurance on access and utilization of obstetric health services: Results from HIV+ pregnant women in Kenya
Background: Reducing maternal morbidity and mortality remains a top global health agenda especially in high HIV/AIDS endemic locations where there is increased likelihood of mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Social health insurance (SHI) has emerged as a viable option to improve population access to health services, while improving outcomes for disenfranchised populations, particularly […]
Effects of a community-based data for decision-making intervention on maternal and newborn health care practices in Ethiopia: A dose-response study
Background: Community participation and community health volunteer programs are an essential part of the health system so that health services are responsive and accountable to community needs. Information systems are necessary for community health volunteer programs to be effective, yet effectiveness evaluations of such information systems implemented at scale are rare. In October 2010, a […]
Can Combining Performance-Based Financing With Equity Measures Result in Greater Equity in Utilization of Maternal Care Services? Evidence From Burkina Faso
Background: As countries reform health financing systems towards universal health coverage, increasing concerns emerge on the need to ensure inclusion of the most vulnerable segments of society, working to counteract existing inequities in service coverage. To this end, selected countries in sub-Saharan Africa have decided to couple performance-based financing (PBF) with demand-side equity measures. Still, […]
