Title |
The effect of Kenya’s free maternal health care policy on the utilization of health facility delivery services and maternal and neonatal mortality in public health facilities
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Published in |
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, March 2018
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DOI | 10.1186/s12884-018-1708-2 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
C. M. Gitobu, P. B. Gichangi, W. O. Mwanda |
Abstract |
Kenya abolished delivery fees in all public health facilities through a presidential directive effective on June 1, 2013 with an aim of promoting health facility delivery service utilization and reducing pregnancy-related mortality in the country. This paper aims to provide a brief overview of this policy's effect on health facility delivery service utilization and maternal mortality ratio and neonatal mortality rate in Kenyan public health facilities. A time series analysis was conducted on health facility delivery services utilization, maternal and neonatal mortality 2 years before and after the policy intervention in 77 health facilities across 14 counties in Kenya. A statistically significant increase in the number of facility-based deliveries was identified with no significant changes in the ratio of maternal mortality and the rate of neonatal mortality. The findings suggest that cost is a deterrent to health facility delivery service utilization in Kenya and thus free delivery services are an important strategy to promote utilization of health facility delivery services; however, there is a need to simultaneously address other factors that contribute to pregnancy-related and neonatal deaths. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Kenya | 6 | 27% |
United States | 1 | 5% |
Cameroon | 1 | 5% |
Burkina Faso | 1 | 5% |
Comoros | 1 | 5% |
Senegal | 1 | 5% |
Unknown | 11 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 17 | 77% |
Scientists | 3 | 14% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 2 | 9% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 347 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 94 | 27% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 37 | 11% |
Researcher | 33 | 10% |
Student > Postgraduate | 17 | 5% |
Student > Bachelor | 17 | 5% |
Other | 54 | 16% |
Unknown | 95 | 27% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 72 | 21% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 69 | 20% |
Social Sciences | 26 | 7% |
Economics, Econometrics and Finance | 11 | 3% |
Business, Management and Accounting | 10 | 3% |
Other | 58 | 17% |
Unknown | 101 | 29% |