Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya

<p>Abtsract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alternatives to the traditional 'supply-side' approach to financing service delivery are being explored. These strategies are termed results-based finance, demand-side health financing or output-based aid which includes a r...

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Main Authors: Njue Rebecca, Sunday Joseph, Obare Francis, Abuya Timothy, Warren Charlotte, Askew Ian, Bellows Ben
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2011-03-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/177
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author Njue Rebecca
Sunday Joseph
Obare Francis
Abuya Timothy
Warren Charlotte
Askew Ian
Bellows Ben
author_facet Njue Rebecca
Sunday Joseph
Obare Francis
Abuya Timothy
Warren Charlotte
Askew Ian
Bellows Ben
author_sort Njue Rebecca
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abtsract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alternatives to the traditional 'supply-side' approach to financing service delivery are being explored. These strategies are termed results-based finance, demand-side health financing or output-based aid which includes a range of interventions that channel government or donor subsidies to the user rather than the provider. Initial pilot assessments of reproductive health voucher programs suggest that, they can increase access and use, reducing inequities and enhancing program efficiency and service quality. However, there is a paucity of evidence describing how the programs function in different settings, for various reproductive health services. Population Council, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, intends to generate evidence around the 'voucher and accreditation' approaches to improving the reproductive health of low income women in Kenya.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A quasi-experimental study will investigate the impact of the voucher approach on improving reproductive health behaviors, reproductive health status and reducing inequities at the population level; and assessing the effect of vouchers on increasing access to, and quality of, and reducing inequities in the use of selected reproductive health services. The study comprises of four populations: facilities, providers, women of reproductive health age using facilities and women and men who have been pregnant and/or used family planning within the previous 12 months. The study will be carried out in samples of health facilities - public, private and faith-based in: three districts; Kisumu, Kiambu, Kitui and two informal settlements in Nairobi which are accredited to provide maternal and newborn health and family planning services to women holding vouchers for the services; and compared with a matched sample of non-accredited facilities. Health facility assessments (HFA) will be conducted at two stages to track temporal changes in quality of care and utilization. Facility inventories, structured observations, and client exit interviews will be used to collect comparable data across facilities. Health providers will also be interviewed and observed providing care. A population survey of about 3000 respondents will also be carried out in areas where vouchers are distributed and similar locations where vouchers are not distributed.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-82a5cd3ffe474a57956dd12cc1b4cf162022-12-22T02:19:24ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582011-03-0111117710.1186/1471-2458-11-177Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in KenyaNjue RebeccaSunday JosephObare FrancisAbuya TimothyWarren CharlotteAskew IanBellows Ben<p>Abtsract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alternatives to the traditional 'supply-side' approach to financing service delivery are being explored. These strategies are termed results-based finance, demand-side health financing or output-based aid which includes a range of interventions that channel government or donor subsidies to the user rather than the provider. Initial pilot assessments of reproductive health voucher programs suggest that, they can increase access and use, reducing inequities and enhancing program efficiency and service quality. However, there is a paucity of evidence describing how the programs function in different settings, for various reproductive health services. Population Council, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, intends to generate evidence around the 'voucher and accreditation' approaches to improving the reproductive health of low income women in Kenya.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A quasi-experimental study will investigate the impact of the voucher approach on improving reproductive health behaviors, reproductive health status and reducing inequities at the population level; and assessing the effect of vouchers on increasing access to, and quality of, and reducing inequities in the use of selected reproductive health services. The study comprises of four populations: facilities, providers, women of reproductive health age using facilities and women and men who have been pregnant and/or used family planning within the previous 12 months. The study will be carried out in samples of health facilities - public, private and faith-based in: three districts; Kisumu, Kiambu, Kitui and two informal settlements in Nairobi which are accredited to provide maternal and newborn health and family planning services to women holding vouchers for the services; and compared with a matched sample of non-accredited facilities. Health facility assessments (HFA) will be conducted at two stages to track temporal changes in quality of care and utilization. Facility inventories, structured observations, and client exit interviews will be used to collect comparable data across facilities. Health providers will also be interviewed and observed providing care. A population survey of about 3000 respondents will also be carried out in areas where vouchers are distributed and similar locations where vouchers are not distributed.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/177VouchersOut-put based approach
spellingShingle Njue Rebecca
Sunday Joseph
Obare Francis
Abuya Timothy
Warren Charlotte
Askew Ian
Bellows Ben
Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
BMC Public Health
Vouchers
Out-put based approach
title Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
title_full Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
title_fullStr Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
title_short Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
title_sort evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in kenya
topic Vouchers
Out-put based approach
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/177
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