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Bachani AM, Bentley JA, Kautsar H, Neill R, Trujillo AJ. Suggesting global insights to local challenges: expanding financing of rehabilitation services in low and middle-income countries. FRONTIERS IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES 2024; 5:1305033. [PMID: 38711833 PMCID: PMC11070479 DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2024.1305033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Following the rapid transition to non-communicable diseases, increases in injury, and subsequent disability, the world-especially low and middle-income countries (LMICs)-remains ill-equipped for increased demand for rehabilitative services and assistive technology. This scoping review explores rehabilitation financing models used throughout the world and identifies "state of the art" rehabilitation financing strategies to identify opportunities and challenges to expand financing of rehabilitation. Material and methods We searched peer-reviewed and grey literature for articles containing information on rehabilitation financing in both LMICs and high-income countries. Results Forty-two articles were included, highlighting various rehabilitation financing mechanism which involves user fees and other innovative payment as bundled or pooled schemes. Few studies explore policy options to increase investment in the supply of services. Conclusion this paper highlights opportunities to expand rehabilitation services, namely through promotion of private investment, improvement in provider reimbursement mechanism as well as expanding educational grants to bolster labor supply incentive, and the investment in public and private insurance schemes. Mechanisms of reimbursement are frequently based on global budget and salary which are helpful to control cost escalation but represent important barriers to expand supply and quality of services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulgafoor M. Bachani
- Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jacob A. Bentley
- Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hunied Kautsar
- Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rachel Neill
- Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Antonio J. Trujillo
- Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Cai C, Xiong S, Millett C, Xu J, Tian M, Hone T. Health and health system impacts of China's comprehensive primary healthcare reforms: a systematic review. Health Policy Plan 2023; 38:1064-1078. [PMID: 37506039 PMCID: PMC10566320 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czad058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
China's comprehensive primary healthcare (PHC) reforms since 2009 aimed to deliver accessible, efficient, equitable and high-quality healthcare services. However, knowledge on the system-wide effectiveness of these reforms is limited. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on the reforms' health and health system impacts. In 13 August 2022, international databases and three Chinese databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies and controlled before-after studies. Included studies assessed large-scale PHC policies since 2009; had a temporal comparator and a control group and assessed impacts on expenditures, utilization, care quality and health outcomes. Study quality was assessed using Risk of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions, and results were synthesized narratively. From 49 174 identified records, 42 studies were included-all with quasi-experimental designs, except for one randomized control trial. Nine studies were assessed as at low risk of bias. Only five low- to moderate-quality studies assessed the comprehensive reforms as a whole and found associated increases in health service utilization, whilst the other 37 studies examined single-component policies. The National Essential Medicine Policy (N = 15) and financing reforms (N = 11) were the most studied policies, whilst policies on primary care provision (i.e. family physician policy and the National Essential Public Health Services) were poorly evaluated. The PHC reforms were associated with increased primary care utilization (N = 17) and improved health outcomes in people with non-communicable diseases (N = 8). Evidence on healthcare costs was unclear, and impacts on patients' financial burden and care quality were understudied. Some studies showed disadvantaged regions and groups that accrued greater benefits (N = 8). China's comprehensive PHC reforms have made some progress in achieving their policy objectives including increasing primary care utilization, improving some health outcomes and reducing health inequalities. However, China's health system remains largely hospital-centric and further PHC strengthening is needed to advance universal health coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Cai
- Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Reynolds Building, St Dunstan's Road, London W6 8RP, UK
| | - Shangzhi Xiong
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faulty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Level 5, 1 King Street Newtown, Sydney 2042, Australia
- Global Health Research Centre, Duke Kunshan University, Academic Building 3038, No. 8 Duke Avenue, Kunshan, Jiangsu 215316, China
| | - Christopher Millett
- Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Reynolds Building, St Dunstan's Road, London W6 8RP, UK
- Public Health Research Centre and Comprehensive Health Research Centre, NOVA National School of Public Health, NOVA University Lisbon, Avenida Padre Cruz, Lisbon 1600-560, Portugal
| | - Jin Xu
- China Center for Health Development Studies, Peking University Health Science Center, 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Maoyi Tian
- The George Institute for Global Health, Faulty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Level 5, 1 King Street Newtown, Sydney 2042, Australia
- School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, No. 157 Baojian Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Thomas Hone
- Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Reynolds Building, St Dunstan's Road, London W6 8RP, UK
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Corlis J, Zhu J, Macul H, Tiberi O, Boothe MAS, Resch SC. Framework for determining the optimal course of action when efficiency and affordability measures differ by perspective in cost-effectiveness analysis-with an illustrative case of HIV treatment in Mozambique. COST EFFECTIVENESS AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION 2023; 21:62. [PMID: 37705101 PMCID: PMC10498553 DOI: 10.1186/s12962-023-00474-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is a standard tool for evaluating health programs and informing decisions about resource allocation and prioritization. Most CEAs evaluating health interventions in low- and middle-income countries adopt a health sector perspective, accounting for resources funded by international donors and country governments, while often excluding out-of-pocket expenditures and time costs borne by program beneficiaries. Even when patients' costs are included, a companion analysis focused on the patient perspective is rarely performed. We view this as a missed opportunity. METHODS We developed methods for assessing intervention affordability and evaluating whether optimal interventions from the health sector perspective also represent efficient and affordable options for patients. We mapped the five different patterns that a comparison of the perspective results can yield into a practical framework, and we provided guidance for researchers and decision-makers on how to use results from multiple perspectives. To illustrate the methodology, we conducted a CEA of six HIV treatment delivery models in Mozambique. We conducted a Monte Carlo microsimulation with probabilistic sensitivity analysis from both patient and health sector perspectives, generating incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the treatment approaches. We also calculated annualized patient costs for the treatment approaches, comparing the costs with an affordability threshold. We then compared the cost-effectiveness and affordability results from the two perspectives using the framework we developed. RESULTS In this case, the two perspectives did not produce a shared optimal approach for HIV treatment at the willingness-to-pay threshold of 0.3 × Mozambique's annual GDP per capita per DALY averted. However, the clinical 6-month antiretroviral drug distribution strategy, which is optimal from the health sector perspective, is efficient and affordable from the patient perspective. All treatment approaches, except clinical 1-month distributions of antiretroviral drugs which were standard before Covid-19, had an annual cost to patients less than the country's annual average for out-of-pocket health expenditures. CONCLUSION Including a patient perspective in CEAs and explicitly considering affordability offers decision-makers additional insights either by confirming that the optimal strategy from the health sector perspective is also efficient and affordable from the patient perspective or by identifying incongruencies in value or affordability that could affect patient participation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jinyi Zhu
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Hélder Macul
- Programa Nacional de Controle de ITS-HIV/SIDA, Ministério da Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Orrin Tiberi
- Programa Nacional de Controle de ITS-HIV/SIDA, Ministério da Saúde, Maputo, Mozambique
| | | | - Stephen C. Resch
- Center for Health Decision Science, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
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Offosse MJ, Avoka C, Yameogo P, Manli AR, Goumbri A, Eboreime E, Boxshall M, Banke-Thomas A. Effectiveness of the Gratuité user fee exemption policy on utilization and outcomes of maternal, newborn and child health services in conflict-affected districts of Burkina Faso from 2013 to 2018: a pre-post analysis. Confl Health 2023; 17:33. [PMID: 37415179 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-023-00530-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence on effectiveness of user fee exemption policies targeting maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services is limited for conflict-affected settings. In Burkina Faso, a country that has had its fair share of conflicts, user fee exemption policies have been piloted since 2008 and implemented along with a national government-led user fee reduction policy ('SONU': Soins Obstétricaux et Néonataux d'Urgence). In 2016, the government transitioned the entire country to a user fee exemption policy known as Gratuité. Our study objective was to assess the effect of the policy on the utilization and outcomes of MNCH services in conflict-affected districts of Burkina Faso. METHODS We conducted a quasi-experimental study comparing four conflict-affected districts which had the user fee exemption pilot along with SONU before transitioning to Gratuité (comparator) with four other districts with similar characteristics, which had only SONU before transitioning (intervention). A difference-in-difference approach was initiated using data from 42 months before and 30 months after implementation. Specifically, we compared utilization rates for MNCH services, including antenatal care (ANC), facility delivery, postnatal care (PNC) and consultation for malaria. We reported the coefficient, including a 95% confidence interval (CI), p value, and the parallel trends test. RESULTS Gratuité led to significant increases in rates of 6th day PNC visits for women (Coeff 0.15; 95% CI 0.01-0.29), new consultations in children < 1 year (Coeff 1.80; 95% CI 1.13-2.47, p < 0.001), new consultations in children 1-4 years (Coeff 0.81; 95% CI 0.50-1.13, p = 0.001), and uncomplicated malaria cases treated in children < 5 years (Coeff 0.59; 95% CI 0.44-0.73, p < 0.001). Other service utilization indicators investigated, including ANC1 and ANC5+ rates, did not show any statistically significant positive upward trend. Also, the rates of facility delivery, 6th hour and 6th week postnatal visits were found to have increased more in intervention areas compared to control areas, but these were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that, even in conflict-affected areas, the Gratuité policy significantly influences MNCH service utilization. There is a strong case for continued funding of the user fee exemption policy to ensure that gains are not reversed, especially if the conflict ceases to abate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Jeanne Offosse
- ThinkWell, 11 B.P. 1255 CMS 11 Ouagadougou - Quartier Ouaga 2000, près de la fondation Kimi, à 500 du boulevard Muammar Kadaffi, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Cephas Avoka
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Astrid Raissa Manli
- ThinkWell, 11 B.P. 1255 CMS 11 Ouagadougou - Quartier Ouaga 2000, près de la fondation Kimi, à 500 du boulevard Muammar Kadaffi, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Aude Goumbri
- ThinkWell, 11 B.P. 1255 CMS 11 Ouagadougou - Quartier Ouaga 2000, près de la fondation Kimi, à 500 du boulevard Muammar Kadaffi, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Ejemai Eboreime
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Matt Boxshall
- ThinkWell, 11 B.P. 1255 CMS 11 Ouagadougou - Quartier Ouaga 2000, près de la fondation Kimi, à 500 du boulevard Muammar Kadaffi, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas
- ThinkWell, 11 B.P. 1255 CMS 11 Ouagadougou - Quartier Ouaga 2000, près de la fondation Kimi, à 500 du boulevard Muammar Kadaffi, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Garcia LP, Schneider IJC, de Oliveira C, Traebert E, Traebert J. What is the impact of national public expenditure and its allocation on neonatal and child mortality? A machine learning analysis. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:793. [PMID: 37118765 PMCID: PMC10141942 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15683-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the impact of national public expenditure and its allocation on child mortality may help governments move towards target 3.2 proposed in the 2030 Agenda. The objective of this study was to estimate the impacts of governmental expenditures, total, on health, and on other sectors, on neonatal mortality and mortality of children aged between 28 days and five years. METHODS This study has an ecological design with a population of 147 countries, with data between 2012 and 2019. Two steps were used: first, the Generalized Propensity Score of public spending was calculated; afterward, the Generalized Propensity Score was used to estimate the expenditures' association with mortality rates. The primary outcomes were neonatal mortality rates (NeoRt) and mortality rates in children between 28 days and 5 years (NeoU5Rt). RESULTS The 1% variation in Int$ Purchasing Power Parity (Int$ PPP) per capita in total public expenditures, expenditure in health, and in other sectors were associated with a variation of -0.635 (95% CI -1.176, -0.095), -2.17 (95% CI -3.051, -1.289) -0.632 (95% CI -1.169, -0.095) in NeoRt, respectively The same variation in public expenditures in sectors other than health, was associates with a variation of -1.772 (95% CI -6.219, -1.459) on NeoU5Rt. The results regarding the impact of total and health public spending on NeoU5Rt were not consistent. CONCLUSION Public investments impact mortality in children under 5 years of age. Likely, the allocation of expenditures between the health sector and the other social sectors will have different impacts on mortality between the NeoRt and the NeoU5Rt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Pereira Garcia
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Avenida Pedra Branca, 25, Palhoça, Santa Catarina, 88132-260, Brazil
| | - Ione Jayce Ceola Schneider
- Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Science, Public Health and Neuroscience, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rodovia Governador Jorge Lacerda, 3201, Araranguá, SC, 88906-072, Brazil
| | - Cesar de Oliveira
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Eliane Traebert
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Avenida Pedra Branca, 25, Palhoça, Santa Catarina, 88132-260, Brazil
- School of Medicine, Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Avenida Pedra Branca, 25, Palhoça, SC, 88132-260, Brazil
| | - Jefferson Traebert
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina, Avenida Pedra Branca, 25, Palhoça, Santa Catarina, 88132-260, Brazil.
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Gabani J, Mazumdar S, Suhrcke M. The effect of health financing systems on health system outcomes: A cross-country panel analysis. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 32:574-619. [PMID: 36480236 PMCID: PMC10107855 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Several low- and middle-income countries are considering health financing system reforms to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage (UHC). However, empirical evidence of the effect of health financing systems on health system outcomes is scarce, partly because it is difficult to quantitatively capture the 'health financing system'. We assign country-year observations to one of three health financing systems (i.e., predominantly out-of-pocket, social health insurance (SHI) or government-financed), using clustering based on out-of-pocket, contributory SHI and non-contributory government expenditure, as a percentage of total health expenditures. We then estimate the effect of these different systems on health system outcomes, using fixed effects regressions. We find that transitions from OOP-dominant to government-financed systems improved most outcomes more than did transitions to SHI systems. Transitions to government financing increases life expectancy (+1.3 years, p < 0.05) and reduces under-5 mortality (-8.7%, p < 0.05) and catastrophic health expenditure incidence (-3.3 percentage points, p < 0.05). Results are robust to several sensitivity tests. It is more likely that increases in non-contributory government financing rather than SHI financing improve health system outcomes. Notable reasons include SHI's higher implementation costs and more limited coverage. These results may raise a warning for policymakers considering SHI reforms to reach UHC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Gabani
- Centre for Health EconomicsUniversity of YorkYorkUK
- Department of Economics and Related StudiesUniversity of YorkYorkUK
| | | | - Marc Suhrcke
- Centre for Health EconomicsUniversity of YorkYorkUK
- Luxembourg Institute of Socio‐Economic Research (LISER)Esch‐sur‐AlzetteLuxembourg
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Parati G, Goncalves A, Soergel D, Bruno RM, Caiani EG, Gerdts E, Mahfoud F, Mantovani L, McManus RJ, Santalucia P, Kahan T. New perspectives for hypertension management: progress in methodological and technological developments. Eur J Prev Cardiol 2023; 30:48-60. [PMID: 36073370 DOI: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwac203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Hypertension is the most common and preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), accounting for 20% of deaths worldwide. However, 2/3 of people with hypertension are undiagnosed, untreated, or under treated. A multi-pronged approach is needed to improve hypertension management. Elevated blood pressure (BP) in childhood is a predictor of hypertension and CVD in adulthood; therefore, screening and education programmes should start early and continue throughout the lifespan. Home BP monitoring can be used to engage patients and improve BP control rates. Progress in imaging technology allows for the detection of preclinical disease, which may help identify patients who are at greatest risk of CV events. There is a need to optimize the use of current BP control strategies including lifestyle modifications, antihypertensive agents, and devices. Reducing the complexity of pharmacological therapy using single-pill combinations can improve patient adherence and BP control and may reduce physician inertia. Other strategies that can improve patient adherence include education and reassurance to address misconceptions, engaging patients in management decisions, and using digital tools. Strategies to improve physician therapeutic inertia, such as reminders, education, physician-peer visits, and task-sharing may improve BP control rates. Digital health technologies, such as telemonitoring, wearables, and other mobile health platforms, are becoming frequently adopted tools in hypertension management, particularly those that have undergone regulatory approval. Finally, to fight the consequences of hypertension on a global scale, healthcare system approaches to cardiovascular risk factor management are needed. Government policies should promote routine BP screening, salt-, sugar-, and alcohol reduction programmes, encourage physical activity, and target obesity control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfranco Parati
- Department of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Ospedale San Luca, Piazzale Brescia 20, 20149 Milano, Italy.,Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza (MB), Italy
| | | | - David Soergel
- Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Drug Development, Novartis, Basel, CH 4056, Switzerland
| | - Rosa Maria Bruno
- Paris Cardiovascular Research Centre (PARCC-INSERM U970) & Université de Paris, Paris 75015, France
| | - Enrico Gianluca Caiani
- Politecnico di Milano, Electronics, Information and Bioengineering Department, Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering (IEIIT), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Milan 20133 & 24-10129, Italy
| | - Eva Gerdts
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen NO-5020, Norway
| | - Felix Mahfoud
- Department of Internal Medicine III, Cardiology, Angiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg 66123, Germany
| | - Lorenzo Mantovani
- Value-based Healthcare Unit, IRCCS MultiMedica Research Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Richard J McManus
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6HD, UK
| | - Paola Santalucia
- Italian Association Against Thrombosis and Cardiovascular Diseases (ALT Onlus), Milan 20123, Italy
| | - Thomas Kahan
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 182 88, Sweden.,Department of Cardiology, Danderyd University Hospital Corp, Stockholm SE 182 88, Sweden
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Marthias T, McPake B, Carvalho N, Millett C, Anindya K, Saputri NS, Trisnantoro L, Lee JT. Associations between Indonesia's national health insurance, effective coverage in maternal health and neonatal mortality: a multilevel interrupted time-series analysis 2000-2017. J Epidemiol Community Health 2022; 76:jech-2021-217213. [PMID: 36288996 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2021-217213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We assessed the effect of Indonesia's national health insurance programme (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN)) on effective coverage for maternal and child health across geographical regions and population groups. METHODS We used four waves of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey from 2000 to 2017, which included 38 880 women aged 15-49 years and 144 000 birth records. Key outcomes included antenatal and delivery care, caesarean section and neonatal and infant mortality. We used multilevel interrupted time-series regression to examine changes in outcomes after the introduction of the JKN in January 2014. FINDINGS JKN introduction was associated with significant level increases in (1) antenatal care (ANC) crude coverage (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.81, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.27); (2) ANC quality-adjusted coverage (aOR 1.66, 95% CI 1.38 to 1.98); (3) ANC user-adherence-adjusted coverage (aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.25); (4) safe delivery service contact (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.36); and (5) safe delivery crude coverage (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.75). We did not find any significant level increase in ANC service contact or caesarean section. Interestingly, increases in ANC service contact and crude coverage, and safe delivery crude coverage were larger among the poorest compared with the most affluent. No statistically significant associations were found between JKN introduction and neonatal and infant mortality (p>0.05) in the first 3 years following implementation. INTERPRETATION Expansion of social health insurance led to substantial improvements in quality of care for maternal health services but not in child mortality. Concerted efforts are required to equitably improve service quality and child mortality across the population in Indonesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiara Marthias
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Barbara McPake
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Natalie Carvalho
- Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Christopher Millett
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Comprehensive Health Research Center and Public Health Research Centre, National School of Public Health, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Kanya Anindya
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Laksono Trisnantoro
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - John Tayu Lee
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Health Service Research and Policy, Australia National University, Canberra, Canberra, Australia
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Rudasingwa M, De Allegri M, Mphuka C, Chansa C, Yeboah E, Bonnet E, Ridde V, Chitah BM. Universal health coverage and the poor: to what extent are health financing policies making a difference? Evidence from a benefit incidence analysis in Zambia. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1546. [PMID: 35964020 PMCID: PMC9375934 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13923-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zambia has invested in several healthcare financing reforms aimed at achieving universal access to health services. Several evaluations have investigated the effects of these reforms on the utilization of health services. However, only one study has assessed the distributional incidence of health spending across different socioeconomic groups, but without differentiating between public and overall health spending and between curative and maternal health services. Our study aims to fill this gap by undertaking a quasi-longitudinal benefit incidence analysis of public and overall health spending between 2006 and 2014. METHODS We conducted a Benefit Incidence Analysis (BIA) to measure the socioeconomic inequality of public and overall health spending on curative services and institutional delivery across different health facility typologies at three time points. We combined data from household surveys and National Health Accounts. RESULTS Results showed that public (concentration index of - 0.003; SE 0.027 in 2006 and - 0.207; SE 0.011 in 2014) and overall (0.050; SE 0.033 in 2006 and - 0.169; SE 0.011 in 2014) health spending on curative services tended to benefit the poorer segments of the population while public (0.241; SE 0.018 in 2007 and 0.120; SE 0.007 in 2014) and overall health spending (0.051; SE 0.022 in 2007 and 0.116; SE 0.007 in 2014) on institutional delivery tended to benefit the least-poor. Higher inequalities were observed at higher care levels for both curative and institutional delivery services. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the implementation of UHC policies in Zambia led to a reduction in socioeconomic inequality in health spending, particularly at health centres and for curative care. Further action is needed to address existing barriers for the poor to benefit from health spending on curative services and at higher levels of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rudasingwa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital & Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuela De Allegri
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital & Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Chrispin Mphuka
- Department of Economics, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Collins Chansa
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital & Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Edmund Yeboah
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University Hospital & Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Bonnet
- IRD, UMR 215 Prodig, CNRS, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, AgroParisTech, 5, Cours des Humanités, F-93 322 Aubervilliers Cedex, Paris, France
| | - Valéry Ridde
- CEPED, Institute for Research on Sustainable Development, IRD-Université de Paris, ERL INSERM SAGESUD, Paris, France
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The price of private dental services: results from a national representative survey of Ireland. Ir J Med Sci 2022:10.1007/s11845-022-03041-7. [PMID: 35767137 PMCID: PMC9243739 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-022-03041-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Dental services in Ireland are delivered in a mixed public–private system but the majority of dental care is paid for out-of-pocket by individuals. Ireland is not unusual in the global context where public subsidisation for oral healthcare is limited in many countries. This is despite the fact that oral health plays an important role in well-being and despite international evidence on the negative impact of user fees on utilisation of beneficial healthcare. However, there has been little up-to-date assessment of the prices faced by individuals for a range of non-acute care services in Ireland, including dental care. This paper presents an up-to-date assessment of private dental prices in Ireland for a range of preventive, primary, and complex services based on a nationally representative survey. Methods The total sample size for the desk-based survey was 103, accounting for 6% of private dentists in Ireland, weighted to reflect the geographic distribution of dentists. Dentists were selected at random from the publicly available list of dentists participating in the Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme. The adult price of 10 different services covering core preventive, primary, and complex procedures were identified from public websites for the selected dental practices. Results Results showed that in addition to there being an uneven supply of dentists across the country, dental prices also vary with some notable variations by region and type of service. In particular, dental practices located in border counties, and those in rural areas typically show lower mean prices relative to non-border counties and urban areas. These factors need to be considered when planning how to reduce inequalities in access to oral health services in Ireland.
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Eusebio C, Bakola M, Stuckler D. How to Achieve Universal Health Coverage: A Case Study of Uganda Using the Political Process Model Comment on "Health Coverage and Financial Protection in Uganda: A Political Economy Perspective". Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 12:7307. [PMID: 35942962 PMCID: PMC10125088 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.7307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
How can resource-deprived countries accelerate progress towards universal health coverage (UHC)? Here we extend the analysis of Nanini and colleagues to investigate a case-study of Uganda, where despite high-level commitments, health system priority and funding has shrunk over the past two decades. We draw on the Stuckler-McKee adapted Political Process model to evaluate three forces for effecting change: reframing the debate; acting on political windows of opportunity; and mobilising resources. Our analysis proposes a series of pragmatic steps from academics, non-governmental organisations, and government officials that can help neutralise the forces that oppose UHC and overcome fragmentation of the pro-UHC movement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Bakola
- Research Unit for General Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Science, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - David Stuckler
- Dondena Centre for Research on Social and Population Dynamics, Milan, Italy
- Cergas Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management, Milan, Italy
- Department of Social & Political Sciences, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
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12
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Etemadi M, Hajizadeh M. User fee removal for the poor: a qualitative study to explore policies for social health assistance in Iran. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:250. [PMID: 35209902 PMCID: PMC8867763 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07629-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Removal of user fee for vulnerable people reduces the financial barriers associated with healthcare payments, which, in turn, improves health outcomes and promotes health equity. This study sought to provide policy strategies to reduce user fee at the point of service delivery for the poor in Iran. Methods This is a qualitative study carried out in 2018. The purposive sampling method was applied, and 33 experts with relevant and valuable experiences and maximum variation to obtain representativeness and rich data were interviewed. Trustworthiness criteria were used to assure the quality of the results. The data were analyzed based on thematic analysis using the MAXQDA10 software. Results The most important issue regarding financial protection against user fee for the poor in Iran is policy integration and cohesion. Differences in access to financial support for user fee coverage among different groups of the poor have led to inequalities in access and financial protection among the poor. The suggested protection policies against the user fee at the point of service delivery in Iran can be categorized into three main categories: 1) basic health social insurance instruments, 2) free health services to the poor outside of the health insurance system, and 3) complementary insurance mechanisms. Conclusion Implementing a cohesive social assistance policy for all disadvantaged groups is needed to address inequalities in financial protection against user fee payment among the poor in Iran. Reducing user fee through mechanisms such as deductible cap, stop-loss, variable user fee and sliding fee scale can improve financial protection and enhance healthcare utilization among the poor. A user fee exemption is not enough to remove barriers to access to service for the poor, as other costs such as transportation expenditures and informal payments also put financial pressure on them. Therefore, financial support for the poor should be designed in a comprehensive protection package to reduce out-of-pocket payments for healthcare services, and indirect costs associated with healthcare utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal Etemadi
- Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Hajizadeh
- School of Health Administration, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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13
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Samad N, Das P, Dilshad S, Al Banna H, Rabbani G, Sodunke TE, Hardcastle TC, Haq A, Afroz KA, Ahmad R, Haque M. Women's empowerment and fertility preferences of married women: analysis of demographic and health survey'2016 in Timor-Leste. AIMS Public Health 2022; 9:237-261. [PMID: 35634022 PMCID: PMC9114782 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2022017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A recently independent state, Timor-Leste, is progressing towards socioeconomic development, prioritizing women empowerment while its increased fertility rate (4.1) could hinder the growth due to an uncontrolled population. Currently, limited evidence shows that indicators of women's empowerment are associated with fertility preferences and rates. The objective of this study was to assess the association between women empowerment and fertility preferences of married women aged 15 to 49 years in Timor-Leste using nationally representative survey data. The study was conducted using the data of the latest Timor-Leste Demographic and Health Survey 2016. The study included 4040 rural residents and 1810 urban residents of Timor-Leste. Multinomial logistic regression has been performed to assess the strength of association between the exposures indicating women's empowerment and outcome (fertility preference). After adjusting the selected covariates, the findings showed that exposures that indicate women empowerment in DHS, namely, the employment status of women, house and land ownership, ownership of the mobile phone, and independent bank account status, contraceptive use, and the attitude of women towards negotiating sexual relations are significantly associated with fertility preferences. The study shows higher the level of education, the less likely were the women to want more children, and unemployed women were with a higher number of children. Our study also found that the attitude of violence of spouses significantly influenced women's reproductive choice. However, employment had no significant correlation with decision-making opportunities and contraceptive selection due to a lack of substantial data. Also, no meaningful data was available regarding decision-making and fertility preferences. Our findings suggest that women's empowerment governs decision-making in fertility preferences, causing a decline in the fertility rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandeeta Samad
- Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Pranta Das
- Department of Statistics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Segufta Dilshad
- Department of Public Health, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Hasan Al Banna
- Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Golam Rabbani
- Health Systems and Population Studies Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Ahsanul Haq
- Gonoshasthaya-RNA Molecular Diagnostic & Research Center, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh
| | - Khandaker Anika Afroz
- Deputy Manager (Former), Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation, CEP, BRAC, Bangladesh
| | - Rahnuma Ahmad
- Department of Physiology, Medical College for Women and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mainul Haque
- Unit of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (National Defence University of Malaysia), Kem Perdana Sugai Besi, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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14
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Ng Kamstra JS, Molina T, Halliday T. Compact for care: how the Affordable Care Act marketplaces fell short for a vulnerable population in Hawaii. BMJ Glob Health 2021; 6:bmjgh-2021-007701. [PMID: 34845000 PMCID: PMC8634008 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed in 2010 to expand access to health insurance in the USA and promote innovation in health care delivery. While the law significantly reduced the proportion of uninsured, the market-based protection it provides for poor and vulnerable US residents is an imperfect substitute for government programs such as Medicaid. In 2015, residents of Hawaii from three Compact of Free Association nations (the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands) lost their eligibility for the state’s Medicaid program and were instructed to enrol in coverage via the ACA marketplace. This transition resulted in worsened access to health care and ultimately increased mortality in this group. We explain these changes via four mechanisms: difficulty communicating the policy change to affected individuals, administrative barriers to coverage under the ACA, increased out of pocket health care costs and short enrolment windows. To achieve universal health coverage in the USA, these challenges must be addressed by policy-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S Ng Kamstra
- The Queen's Health Systems, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA .,Department of Surgery, University of Hawai'i at Manoa John A Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Teresa Molina
- Department of Economics, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.,IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
| | - Timothy Halliday
- Department of Economics, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.,IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
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15
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Druetz T, Bila A, Bicaba F, Tiendrebeogo C, Bicaba A. Free healthcare for some, fee-paying for the rest: adaptive practices and ethical issues in rural communities in the district of Boulsa, Burkina Faso. Glob Bioeth 2021; 32:100-115. [PMID: 34408385 PMCID: PMC8366671 DOI: 10.1080/11287462.2021.1966974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In Burkina Faso, in July 2016, user fees were removed at all public healthcare facilities, but only for children under 60 months of age and for "mothers", i.e. for reproductive care. This study was conducted in five rural communities in Boulsa District (Burkina Faso) (1) to understand the perceptions and practices of stakeholders regarding compliance with eligibility criteria for free care and (2) to explore the ethical tensions that may have resulted from this policy. Semi-directed individual interviews (n = 20) were conducted with healthcare personnel and mothers of young children. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and a thematic content analysis was conducted. The study reveals the presence of practices to circumvent strict compliance with the eligibility criteria for free access. These include hiding the exact age of children over 60 months and using eligible persons for the benefit of others. These practices result from ethical and economic tensions experienced by the beneficiaries. They also raise dilemmas among healthcare providers, who have to enforce compliance with the eligibility criteria while realizing the households' deprivation. Informal adjustments are introduced at the community level to reconcile the healthcare providers' dissonance. Local reinvention mechanisms help in overcoming ethical tensions and in implementing the policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Druetz
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Montreal, Canada
- Center for Applied Malaria Research and Evaluation, Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Alice Bila
- Société d’Études et de Recherche en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Frank Bicaba
- Société d’Études et de Recherche en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Cheick Tiendrebeogo
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Abel Bicaba
- Société d’Études et de Recherche en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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16
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Cohn J, Kostova D, Moran AE, Cobb LK, Pathni AK, Bisrat D. Blood from a stone: funding hypertension prevention, treatment, and care in low- and middle-income countries. J Hum Hypertens 2021; 35:1059-1062. [PMID: 34331004 PMCID: PMC8654676 DOI: 10.1038/s41371-021-00583-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Cohn
- Resolve to Save Lives, New York, NY, United States. .,Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - Deliana Kostova
- Division of Global Health Protection, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Andrew E Moran
- Resolve to Save Lives, New York, NY, United States.,Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Laura K Cobb
- Resolve to Save Lives, New York, NY, United States
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17
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Palazón-Bru A, Calvo-Pérez M, Rico-Ferreira P, Freire-Ballesta MA, Gil-Guillén VF, Carbonell-Torregrosa MDLÁ. Influence of Pharmaceutical Copayment on Emergency Hospital Admissions: A 1978-2018 Time Series Analysis in Spain. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18158009. [PMID: 34360302 PMCID: PMC8345418 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
No studies have evaluated the influence of pharmaceutical copayment on hospital admission rates using time series analysis. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the relationship between hospital admission rates and the influence of the introduction of a pharmaceutical copayment system (PCS). In July 2012, a PCS was implemented in Spain, and we designed a time series analysis (1978–2018) to assess its impact on emergency hospital admissions. Hospital admission rates were estimated between 1978 and 2018 each month using the Hospital Morbidity Survey in Spain (the number of urgent hospital admissions per 100,000 inhabitants). This was conducted for men, women and both and for all-cause, cardiovascular and respiratory hospital discharges. Life expectancy was obtained from the National Institute of Statistics. The copayment variable took a value of 0 before its implementation (pre-PCS: January 1978–June 2012) and 1 after that (post-PCS: July 2012–December 2018). ARIMA (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) (2,0,0)(1,0,0) models were estimated with two predictors (life expectancy and copayment implementation). Pharmaceutical copayment did not influence hospital admission rates (with p-values between 0.448 and 0.925) and there was even a reduction in the rates for most of the analyses performed. In conclusion, the PCS did not influence hospital admission rates. More studies are needed to design health policies that strike a balance between the amount contributed by the taxpayer and hospital admission rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Palazón-Bru
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain; (V.F.G.-G.); (M.d.l.Á.C.-T.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-965-919-449
| | - Miriam Calvo-Pérez
- Primary Care Pharmacy Service, General University Hospital of Elda, 03600 Alicante, Spain; (M.C.-P.); (P.R.-F.)
| | - Pilar Rico-Ferreira
- Primary Care Pharmacy Service, General University Hospital of Elda, 03600 Alicante, Spain; (M.C.-P.); (P.R.-F.)
| | | | | | - María de los Ángeles Carbonell-Torregrosa
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Miguel Hernández University, 03550 Alicante, Spain; (V.F.G.-G.); (M.d.l.Á.C.-T.)
- Emergency Services, General University Hospital of Elda, 03600 Alicante, Spain
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18
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Ahmed S, Jafri H, Rashid Y, Ehsan Y, Bashir S, Ahmed M. Cascade screening for beta-thalassemia in Pakistan: development, feasibility and acceptability of a decision support intervention for relatives. Eur J Hum Genet 2021; 30:73-80. [PMID: 34121090 PMCID: PMC8200315 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-021-00918-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The government-funded ‘Punjab Thalassaemia Prevention Project’ (PTPP) in Pakistan includes cascade screening for biological relatives of children with beta-Thalassaemia Major (β-TM). However, there is low uptake of cascade screening. This paper presents the (i) development of a paper-based ‘decision support intervention for relatives’ (DeSIRe) to enable PTPP Field Officers to facilitate informed decision making about carrier testing, and (ii) assessment of the feasibility and acceptability of the DeSIRe. The intervention was developed using the International Patient Decision Aids Standards quality criteria and Ottawa Decision Support Framework. Twelve focus groups were conducted (September and October 2020) to explore the views of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and relatives of children with β-TM, in six cities. The focus groups were attended by 117 participants (60 HCPs and 57 relatives). Thematic analysis showed that the DeSIRe was considered acceptable for supporting relatives to make informed decisions about cascade screening, and potentially feasible for use in clinical practice. Suggestions for changing some words, the structure and adding information about how carrier testing relates to consanguineous marriages will enable further development of the DeSIRe. Participants generally welcomed the DeSIRe; however, they highlighted the perceived need to use more directive language, hence showed a cultural preference for directive genetic counselling. The findings highlight challenges for researchers using western theories, frameworks, policies and clinical guidelines to develop decision support interventions for implementation more globally. Future research is needed to evaluate the use of the DeSIRe in routine practice and whether it enables relatives to make informed decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenaz Ahmed
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | | | | | | | - Shabnam Bashir
- Punjab Thalassaemia Prevention Project, Lahore, Pakistan
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19
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Novignon J, Atakorah YB, Chijere Chirwa G. Exemption for the poor or the rich? An assessment of socioeconomic inequalities in Ghana's national health insurance exemption policies. Health Policy Plan 2021; 36:1058-1066. [PMID: 34050736 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czab059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Out-of-pocket payments for health are considered a major limitation to universal health coverage (UHC). Policymakers across the globe are committed to achieving UHC through the removal of financial barriers to health care. In Ghana, a national health insurance scheme was established for this purpose. A unique feature of the scheme is its premium exemption policies for vulnerable groups. In this article, we access the nature of socioeconomic inequality in these exemption policies. We used data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey rounds six and seven. Socioeconomic inequality was assessed using concentration curves and indices. Real household annual total consumption expenditure adjusted by adult equivalence scale was used as a wealth indicator. Four categories of exemption were used as outcome variables. These were exemptions for indigents, individuals <18 years, the aged and free maternal service. The analysis was also disaggregated by rural and urban locations of individuals. We found that while overall national health insurance scheme (NHIS) coverage was concentrated among the wealthy, all categories of premium exemption were concentrated among the poor. There was also evidence of a general decline in the magnitude of inequality over the survey years. With the specific exemptions, inequalities in exemption for indigents and maternal services were most relevant in rural locations, while inequalities in exemption for individuals <18 years and the aged were significant in urban areas. The findings suggest that the exemption policies under the NHIS are generally progressive and achieve the objective of inclusion for the underprivileged. However, it also provides lessons for better targeting and effective implementation. There may be a need for separate efforts to better target individuals in rural and urban locations to improve enrolment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Novignon
- Private Mail Bag, Department of Economics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Yaw Boateng Atakorah
- Private Mail Bag, Department of Economics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
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20
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Bicaba F, Browne L, Kadio K, Bila A, Bicaba A, Druetz T. National user fee abolition and health insurance scheme in Burkina Faso: How can they be integrated on the road to universal health coverage without increasing health inequities? J Glob Health 2021; 10:010319. [PMID: 32257144 PMCID: PMC7100918 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.10.010319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Bicaba
- Société d'Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Lalique Browne
- University of Montreal School of Public Health, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kadidiatou Kadio
- Institut de Recherches en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Alice Bila
- Société d'Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Abel Bicaba
- Société d'Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Thomas Druetz
- University of Montreal School of Public Health, Montreal, Canada.,Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Montreal, Canada.,Center for Applied Malaria Research and Evaluation, Tulane University, New Orleans, Lousiana, USA
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21
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Hasan BS, Rasheed MA, Wahid A, Kumar RK, Zuhlke L. Generating Evidence From Contextual Clinical Research in Low- to Middle Income Countries: A Roadmap Based on Theory of Change. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:764239. [PMID: 34956976 PMCID: PMC8696471 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.764239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Along with inadequate access to high-quality care, competing health priorities, fragile health systems, and conflicts, there is an associated delay in evidence generation and research from LMICs. Lack of basic epidemiologic understanding of the disease burden in these regions poses a significant knowledge gap as solutions can only be developed and sustained if the scope of the problem is accurately defined. Congenital heart disease (CHD), for example, is the most common birth defect in children. The prevalence of CHD from 1990 to 2017 has progressively increased by 18.7% and more than 90% of children with CHD are born in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). If diagnosed and managed in a timely manner, as in high-income countries (HICs), most children lead a healthy life and achieve adulthood. However, children with CHD in LMICs have limited care available with subsequent impact on survival. The large disparity in global health research focus on this complex disease makes it a solid paradigm to shape the debate. Despite many challenges, an essential aspect of improving research in LMICs is the realization and ownership of the problem around paucity of local evidence by patients, health care providers, academic centers, and governments in these countries. We have created a theory of change model to address these challenges at a micro- (individual patient or physician or institutions delivering health care) and a macro- (government and health ministries) level, presenting suggested solutions for these complex problems. All stakeholders in the society, from government bodies, health ministries, and systems, to frontline healthcare workers and patients, need to be invested in addressing the local health problems and significantly increase data to define and improve the gaps in care in LMICs. Moreover, interventions can be designed for a more collaborative and effective HIC-LMIC and LMIC-LMIC partnership to increase resources, capacity building, and representation for long-term productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babar S Hasan
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muneera A Rasheed
- Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Asra Wahid
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Liesl Zuhlke
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Red Cross Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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22
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Nam K, Park E, Chung Y, Kim CY. Effects of the Out-of-pocket Payment Exemption in the Public Health Center on Medical Utilization of the Korean Elderly. J Prev Med Public Health 2020; 53:455-464. [PMID: 33296586 PMCID: PMC7733758 DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.20.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The distribution of hospitals in Korea is unbalanced in terms of accessibility. Many local public health centers (PHCs) exempt out-of-pocket payments (OOPs) based on local government laws to increase coverage. However, this varies across administrative regions, as many make this exemption for the elderly, while others do not. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the OOP exemption at local PHCs among elderly individuals. Methods This study used online data on Korean national law to gather information on individual local governments’ regulations regarding OOP exemptions. Individual-level data were gathered from the 2018 Community Health Survey and regional-level data from public online sources. Results The study analyzed 132 regions and 44 918 elderly people. A statistical analysis of rate differences and 2-level multiple logistic regression were carried out. The rate difference according to whether elderly individuals resided in areas with the OOP exemption was 1.97%p (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07 to 2.88) for PHC utilization, 1.37%p (95% CI, 0.67 to 2.08) for hypertension treatment, and 2.19%p (95% CI, 0.63 to 3.74) for diabetes treatment. The regression analysis showed that OOP exemption had an effect on hypertension treatment, with a fixed-effect odds ratio of 1.25 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.48). Conclusions The OOP exemption at PHCs can affect medical utilization in Korea, especially for hypertension treatment. The OOP exemption should be expanded to improve healthcare utilization in Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiryong Nam
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Eunhye Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yuhjin Chung
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Chang-Yup Kim
- Department of Public Health Science, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.,Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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Bila A, Bicaba F, Tiendrebeogo C, Bicaba A, Druetz T. Soins de santé gratuits pour les uns, payants pour les autres : perceptions et stratégies d’adaptation dans le district de Boulsa (Burkina Faso). CANADIAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS 2020. [DOI: 10.7202/1073784ar] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Contexte : Les preuves des bienfaits des politiques de gratuité des soins sont réunies, mais les enjeux éthiques que ces politiques soulèvent dans les pays à faibles revenus ont été peu examinés. Au Burkina Faso, la gratuité a été introduite en juillet 2016 pour les enfants de moins de 5 ans et les femmes enceintes, en ce qui concerne les soins en santé reproductive. Il a été rapporté que les critères d’éligibilité sont parfois difficiles à interpréter ou à mettre en application. L’objectif de cette étude est double : 1) comprendre les perceptions et les pratiques du personnel de santé et des bénéficiaires à l’égard du respect des critères d’éligibilité à la gratuité et 2) explorer les tensions éthiques qui en ont découlé et les éventuels modes de résolution. Méthodologie : En 2018, une étude qualitative transversale a été menée dans cinq communautés rurales de Boulsa, au Burkina Faso, Des entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées ont été réalisées auprès du personnel soignant (n=10) et de mères de jeunes enfants (n=10), qui ont été sélectionnées avec l’aide d’agents de santé à base communautaire. Les enregistrements audios ont été traduits et retranscrits. Une analyse thématique de contenu a été réalisée sur l’ensemble du matériel. Les thèmes qui sont ressortis de l’analyse thématique ont été identifiés par les membres de l’équipe, qui en ont discuté et les ont reformulés. Résultats : L’étude suggère que les critères d’éligibilité à la gratuité ne sont pas toujours bien connus des bénéficiaires, ce qui peut entraîner des débordements involontaires. Elle révèle aussi l’adoption de pratiques pour contourner le respect strict des critères d’éligibilité à la gratuité, notamment pour en faire bénéficier les enfants de 5 ans et plus. Ces débordements délibérés résultent de tensions éthiques vécues par les bénéficiaires, et en soulèvent d’autres chez le personnel soignant. Des mécanismes sont mis en oeuvre officieusement pour réconcilier les dissonances ressenties par les prestataires. Conclusion : La mise en oeuvre de la politique de gratuité au Burkina Faso s’opère grâce à des mécanismes de réinvention locale pour surmonter les tensions éthiques liées au respect des critères d’éligibilité.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Bila
- Société d’Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Frank Bicaba
- Société d’Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Cheick Tiendrebeogo
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Abel Bicaba
- Société d’Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique (SERSAP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Thomas Druetz
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
- Centre de recherche en santé publique, Montréal, Canada
- Center for Applied Malaria Research and Evaluation, Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
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Mathonnat J, Audibert M, Belem S. Analyzing the Financial Sustainability of User Fee Removal Policies: A Rapid First Assessment Methodology with a Practical Application for Burkina Faso. APPLIED HEALTH ECONOMICS AND HEALTH POLICY 2020; 18:767-780. [PMID: 31432456 PMCID: PMC7716817 DOI: 10.1007/s40258-019-00506-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to briefly present a methodological framework that does not require cumbersome investigations for a first assessment of the financial sustainability of policies aiming to remove or reduce healthcare user fees (the so-called free healthcare policy [FHCP]). This paper is organized in two main sections. The first analyzes the various possibilities available to finance an FHCP. Using several scenarios, it includes a special focus devoted to the calculus of what to consider when assessing the sustainability of expanding fiscal space for financing the FHCP. The second section relies on the current FHCP being implemented in Burkina Faso to illustrate a selection of specific issues raised in the methodological framework. The results suggest that sustainable FHCP financing is not outside the range of the government but does represent a significant challenge, as it will require, both currently and in the future, complex and delicate budget trade-offs at the highest governmental levels, regardless of other policy options to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacky Mathonnat
- University Clermont Auvergne and FERDI (Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International), 63 Bd François Mitterrand, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Martine Audibert
- University Clermont Auvergne, CERDI (Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Développement International), 26, Avenue Léon Blum, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Salam Belem
- Sahel Demographic Dividend (SWEDD), Health Development Support Program, Ministry of Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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Sia D, Dondbzanga BDG, Carabali M, Bonnet E, Enok Bonong PR, Ridde V. Effect of a free healthcare policy on health services utilisation for non-malarial febrile illness by children under five years in Burkina Faso: an interrupted time series analysis. Trop Med Int Health 2020; 25:1226-1234. [PMID: 32686252 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of a free healthcare policy for children under five years old implemented in Burkina Faso since April 2016, on the use of health care of non-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFI). METHODS To assess the immediate and long-term effect of the free healthcare policy in place, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis of routinely collected data on febrile illnesses from three urban primary health centres of Ouagadougou between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016. RESULTS Of the 39 046 febrile cases reported in the study period, 17 017 NMFI were included in the study. Compared to the period before the intervention, we observed an immediate, non-statistically significant increase of 7% in the number of NMFI (IRR = 1.07; 95% CI = 0.75, 1.51). Compared to the trend that would have been expected in absence of the intervention, the results showed a small but sustained increase of 6% in the trend of monthly number of NMFI during the intervention period (IRR = 1.06; 95%CI = 1.01, 1.12). CONCLUSION Our study highlighted an increase in the uptake of healthcare services, specifically for NMFI by children under five years of age, after the implementation of a free care policy. This analysis contributes to informing decision makers on the need to strengthen the capacities of healthcare centres and to anticipate the challenges of the sustainability of this policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Sia
- University of Québec in Outaouais, Saint-Jérôme, QC, Canada
| | | | - M Carabali
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - E Bonnet
- IRD (French Institute for Research on Sustainable Development), UMI Résiliences, Bondy, France
| | - P R Enok Bonong
- Department of Médecine Préventive, University of Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - V Ridde
- IRD (French Institute for Research on Sustainable Development), UMI Résiliences, Bondy, France
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Qin VM, McPake B, Raban MZ, Cowling TE, Alshamsan R, Chia KS, Smith PC, Atun R, Lee JT. Rural and urban differences in health system performance among older Chinese adults: cross-sectional analysis of a national sample. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:372. [PMID: 32366235 PMCID: PMC7197140 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05194-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite improvement in health outcomes over the past few decades, China still experiences striking rural-urban health inequalities. There is limited research on the rural-urban differences in health system performance in China. Method We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to compare health system performance between rural and urban areas in five key domains of the health system: effectiveness, cost, access, patient-centredness and equity, using data from the WHO Study on Global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), China. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were used to assess the first four domains, adjusting for individual characteristics, and a relative index of inequality (RII) was used to measure the equity domain. Findings Compared to urban areas, rural areas had poorer performance in the management and control of hypertension and diabetes, with more than 50% lower odds of having breast (AOR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.64) and cervical cancer screening (AOR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.83). There was better performance in rural areas in the patient-centredness domain, with more than twice higher odds of getting prompt attention, respect, clarity of the communication with health provider and involvement in decision making of the treatment in inpatient care (AOR = 2.56, 2.15, 2.28, 2.28). Although rural residents incurred relatively less out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPE) for outpatient and inpatient services than urban residents, they were more likely to incur catastrophic expenditures on health (AOR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.16, 1.44). Wealth inequality was found in many indicators related to the effectiveness, costs and access domains in both rural and urban areas. Rural areas had greater inequalities in the management of hypertension and coverage of cervical cancer (RII = 7.45 vs 1.64). Conclusion Our findings suggest that urban areas have achieved better prevention and management of non-communicable disease than rural areas, but access to healthcare was equivalent. A better understanding of the causes of the observed variations is needed to develop appropriate policy interventions which address these disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky Mengqi Qin
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Barbara McPake
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Magdalena Z Raban
- Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thomas E Cowling
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Riyadh Alshamsan
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Kee Seng Chia
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peter C Smith
- Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, UK.,Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Rifat Atun
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John Tayu Lee
- Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK
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Gabrysch S, Nesbitt RC, Schoeps A, Hurt L, Soremekun S, Edmond K, Manu A, Lohela TJ, Danso S, Tomlin K, Kirkwood B, Campbell OMR. Does facility birth reduce maternal and perinatal mortality in Brong Ahafo, Ghana? A secondary analysis using data on 119 244 pregnancies from two cluster-randomised controlled trials. Lancet Glob Health 2019; 7:e1074-e1087. [PMID: 31303295 PMCID: PMC6639244 DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(19)30165-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal and perinatal mortality are still unacceptably high in many countries despite steep increases in facility birth. The evidence that childbirth in facilities reduces mortality is weak, mainly because of the scarcity of robust study designs and data. We aimed to assess this link by quantifying the influence of major determinants of facility birth (cluster-level facility birth, wealth, education, and distance to childbirth care) on several mortality outcomes, while also considering quality of care. METHODS Our study is a secondary analysis of surveillance data on 119 244 pregnancies from two large population-based cluster-randomised controlled trials in Brong Ahafo, Ghana. In addition, we specifically collected data to assess quality of care at all 64 childbirth facilities in the study area. Outcomes were direct maternal mortality, perinatal mortality, first-day and early neonatal mortality, and antepartum and intrapartum stillbirth. We calculated cluster-level facility birth as the percentage of facility births in a woman's village over the preceding 2 years, and we computed distances from women's regular residence to health facilities in a geospatial database. Associations between determinants of facility birth and mortality outcomes were assessed in crude and multivariable multilevel logistic regression models. We stratified perinatal mortality effects by three policy periods, using April 1, 2005, and July 1, 2008, as cutoff points, when delivery-fee exemption and free health insurance were introduced in Ghana. These policies increased facility birth and potentially reduced quality of care. FINDINGS Higher proportions of facility births in a cluster were not linked to reductions in any of the mortality outcomes. In women who were wealthier, facility births were much more common than in those who were poorer, but mortality was not lower among them or their babies. Women with higher education had lower mortality risks than less-educated women, except first-day and early neonatal mortality. A substantially higher proportion of women living in areas closer to childbirth facilities had facility births and caesarean sections than women living further from childbirth facilities, but mortality risks were not lower despite this increased service use. Among women who lived in areas closer to facilities offering comprehensive emergency obstetric care (CEmOC), emergency newborn care, or high-quality routine care, or to facilities that had providers with satisfactory competence, we found a lower risk of intrapartum stillbirth (14·2 per 1000 deliveries at >20 km from a CEmOC facility vs 10·4 per 1000 deliveries at ≤1 km; odds ratio [OR] 1·13, 95% CI 1·06-1·21) and of composite mortality outcomes than among women living in areas where these services were further away. Protective effects of facility birth were restricted to the two earlier policy periods (from June 1, 2003, to June 30, 2008), whereas there was evidence for higher perinatal mortality with increasing wealth (OR 1·09, 1·03-1·14) and lower perinatal mortality with increasing distance from childbirth facilities (OR 0·93, 0·89-0·98) after free health insurance was introduced in July 1, 2008. INTERPRETATION Facility birth does not necessarily convey a survival benefit for women or babies and should only be recommended in facilities capable of providing emergency obstetric and newborn care and capable of safe-guarding uncomplicated births. FUNDING The Baden-Württemberg Foundation, the Daimler and Benz Foundation, the European Social Fund and Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts Baden-Württemberg, WHO, US Agency for International Development, Save the Children, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the UK Department for International Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Gabrysch
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Research Department 2, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany; Institute of Public Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Robin C Nesbitt
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja Schoeps
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lisa Hurt
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Division of Population Medicine, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK
| | - Seyi Soremekun
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Observational and Pragmatic Research Institute, Singapore
| | - Karen Edmond
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexander Manu
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Terhi J Lohela
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Samuel Danso
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, Ghana; University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Keith Tomlin
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Betty Kirkwood
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Oona M R Campbell
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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