[EQ] A systematic review of inequalities in the use of maternal health care in developing countries

A systematic review of inequalities in the use of maternal health care in developing countries: examining the scale of the problem and the importance of context

Lale Say, UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.
Rosalind Raine , Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, England
Bulletin of the World Health Organization -  Volume 85, Number 10, October 2007, 733-820

            Available online at: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/10/06-035659/en/index.html

 

“……This review demonstrates variations in the use of maternal health care across populations both within and between 23 developing countries. Variations were partly explained by methodological differences in study designs. However, important and diverse contextual factors were also identified, many relating to the funding and organization of health care. In addition, more subtle, but equally influential, context-specific individual level factors emerged, as did interactions between individual level and health service-related factors.

 

Two reasons for the limited success of the safe motherhood campaign during the past two decades have been the lack of rigorous analysis of the data available on variations in use, together with an inadequate grasp of the contextual issues that must be addressed if inequalities in maternal health care use are to be reduced. Our results highlight the need to thoroughly explore and address context-specific causes of variable use of maternal health care if safe motherhood is to become a reality in developing countries…..”

 

Annex 1. Characteristics and quality assessment of studies [html 21kb]

 

 

 

 

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