Socio-economic differences in cost of pregnancy-related health services in the peri-urban Accra, Ghana
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Date
2014
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Publisher
Journal of Public Health
Abstract
Background Financial and physical barriers are known to limit access to maternal health services in developing countries. These limitations are
often compounded by the low socio-economic status of women. This study examined socio-economic differences in health services costs incurred
by pregnant women.
Methods A cross-sectional cost survey of 300 women who had delivered a live birth in the last 12 months was undertaken.
Results Majority of the women were aged between 20 and 39 years. About 63% of the women claimed they were registrants of the National
Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). However, only 64% of them provided valid NHIS identification cards. There were relatively more insured women
in the rich quintiles (44%) compared with insured women in the poor quintiles (33%). Generally, women who were in the rich quintile incurred
the highest average medical and non-medical costs, spent the highest time before service provision, and lost the highest average incomes.
Conclusions Women's socio-economic differences play a critical role in access to health services. We recommend that awareness campaigns on
the NHIS must be intensified. The Ghana Health Services through its Community-based Health Planning Service should carefully structure its
home visits to cover education on pregnancy-related health services.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
economics, health services, public health