Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.

Abstract Background Maternal mortalities remain high in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Since 2012, to improve access to maternal health services for all women, the country implemented several policies and strategies including user fee removal interventions for childbirth-related car...

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Main Authors: Noudéhouénou Credo Adelphe Ahissou, Daisuke Nonaka, Rie Takeuchi, Calvin de los Reyes, Manami Uehara, Phongluxa Khampheng, Sengchanh Kounnavong, Jun Kobayashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-10-01
Series:Tropical Medicine and Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-023-00548-2
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author Noudéhouénou Credo Adelphe Ahissou
Daisuke Nonaka
Rie Takeuchi
Calvin de los Reyes
Manami Uehara
Phongluxa Khampheng
Sengchanh Kounnavong
Jun Kobayashi
author_facet Noudéhouénou Credo Adelphe Ahissou
Daisuke Nonaka
Rie Takeuchi
Calvin de los Reyes
Manami Uehara
Phongluxa Khampheng
Sengchanh Kounnavong
Jun Kobayashi
author_sort Noudéhouénou Credo Adelphe Ahissou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Maternal mortalities remain high in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Since 2012, to improve access to maternal health services for all women, the country implemented several policies and strategies including user fee removal interventions for childbirth-related care. However, it remains unclear whether inequalities in access to services have reduced in the post-2012 period compared to pre-2012. Our study compared the change in sociodemographic and economic inequalities in access to maternal health services between 2006 to 2011–12 and 2011–12 to 2017. Methods We used the three most recent Lao Social Indicator Survey datasets conducted in 2006, 2011–12, and 2017 for this analysis. We assessed wealth, area of residence, ethnicity, educational attainment, and women’s age-related inequalities in the use of at least one antenatal care (ANC) visit with skilled personnel, institutional delivery, and at least one facility-based postnatal care (PNC) visit by mothers. The magnitude of inequalities was measured using concentration curves, concentration indices (CIX), and equiplots. Results The coverage of at least one ANC with skilled personnel increased the most between 2012 and 2017, by 37.1% in Hmong minority ethnic group women, 36.1% in women living in rural areas, 31.1%, and 28.4 in the poorest and poor, respectively. In the same period, institutional deliveries increased the most among women in the middle quintiles by 32.8%, the poor by 29.3%, and Hmong women by 30.2%. The most significant reduction in inequalities was related to area of residence between 2006 and 2012 while it was based on wealth quintiles in the period 2011–12 to 2017. Finally, in 2017, wealth-related inequalities in institutional delivery remained high, with a CIX of 0.193 which was the highest of all CIX values. Conclusion There was a significant decline in inequalities based on the area of residence in the use of maternal health services between 2006 and 2011–12 while between 2011–12 and 2017, the largest decrease was based on wealth quintiles. Policies and strategies implemented since 2011–12 might have been successful in improving access to maternal health services in Lao PDR. Meanwhile, more attention should be given to improving the uptake of facility-based PNC visits.
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spelling doaj.art-bae4bcfb75c54e18a0a10cd442d0142d2023-11-20T10:58:17ZengBMCTropical Medicine and Health1349-41472023-10-0151111410.1186/s41182-023-00548-2Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.Noudéhouénou Credo Adelphe Ahissou0Daisuke Nonaka1Rie Takeuchi2Calvin de los Reyes3Manami Uehara4Phongluxa Khampheng5Sengchanh Kounnavong6Jun Kobayashi7Department of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the RyukyusDepartment of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the RyukyusDepartment of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the RyukyusDepartment of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the RyukyusDepartment of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the RyukyusLao Tropical and Public Health Institute, Ministry of HealthLao Tropical and Public Health Institute, Ministry of HealthDepartment of Global Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, University of the RyukyusAbstract Background Maternal mortalities remain high in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Since 2012, to improve access to maternal health services for all women, the country implemented several policies and strategies including user fee removal interventions for childbirth-related care. However, it remains unclear whether inequalities in access to services have reduced in the post-2012 period compared to pre-2012. Our study compared the change in sociodemographic and economic inequalities in access to maternal health services between 2006 to 2011–12 and 2011–12 to 2017. Methods We used the three most recent Lao Social Indicator Survey datasets conducted in 2006, 2011–12, and 2017 for this analysis. We assessed wealth, area of residence, ethnicity, educational attainment, and women’s age-related inequalities in the use of at least one antenatal care (ANC) visit with skilled personnel, institutional delivery, and at least one facility-based postnatal care (PNC) visit by mothers. The magnitude of inequalities was measured using concentration curves, concentration indices (CIX), and equiplots. Results The coverage of at least one ANC with skilled personnel increased the most between 2012 and 2017, by 37.1% in Hmong minority ethnic group women, 36.1% in women living in rural areas, 31.1%, and 28.4 in the poorest and poor, respectively. In the same period, institutional deliveries increased the most among women in the middle quintiles by 32.8%, the poor by 29.3%, and Hmong women by 30.2%. The most significant reduction in inequalities was related to area of residence between 2006 and 2012 while it was based on wealth quintiles in the period 2011–12 to 2017. Finally, in 2017, wealth-related inequalities in institutional delivery remained high, with a CIX of 0.193 which was the highest of all CIX values. Conclusion There was a significant decline in inequalities based on the area of residence in the use of maternal health services between 2006 and 2011–12 while between 2011–12 and 2017, the largest decrease was based on wealth quintiles. Policies and strategies implemented since 2011–12 might have been successful in improving access to maternal health services in Lao PDR. Meanwhile, more attention should be given to improving the uptake of facility-based PNC visits.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-023-00548-2Free maternal and child health policyAntenatal careInstitutional deliveryPostnatal careInequalityLao PDR
spellingShingle Noudéhouénou Credo Adelphe Ahissou
Daisuke Nonaka
Rie Takeuchi
Calvin de los Reyes
Manami Uehara
Phongluxa Khampheng
Sengchanh Kounnavong
Jun Kobayashi
Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.
Tropical Medicine and Health
Free maternal and child health policy
Antenatal care
Institutional delivery
Postnatal care
Inequality
Lao PDR
title Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.
title_full Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.
title_fullStr Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.
title_short Trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in Lao People’s Democratic Republic from 2006 to 2017: MICS data analysis.
title_sort trend of sociodemographic and economic inequalities in the use of maternal health services in lao people s democratic republic from 2006 to 2017 mics data analysis
topic Free maternal and child health policy
Antenatal care
Institutional delivery
Postnatal care
Inequality
Lao PDR
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-023-00548-2
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