How do free healthcare policies impact utilization of maternal and child health services in fragile settings? Evidence from a controlled interrupted time series analysis in Burkina Faso.

ABSTRACT: Burkina Faso has implemented a nationwide free healthcare policy (gratuité) for pregnant and lactating women and children under 5 years since April 2016. Studies have shown that free healthcare policies can increase healthcare service use. However, the emerging coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, escalating insecurity and the political situation in recent years might have affected the implementation of such policies. No studies have looked at whether the gratuité maintained high service use under such changing circumstances. Our study aimed to assess the effects of gratuité on the utilization of facility-based delivery and curative care of children under 5 years in light of this changing context. We employed a controlled interrupted time series analysis using data from the Health Management

SUBMITTER: Aye TT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11474610 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature