A cost function analysis of child health services in four districts in Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Recent analyses show that donor funding for child health is increasing, but little information is available on actual costs to deliver child health care services. Understanding how unit costs scale with service volume in Malawi can help planners allocate budgets as health services expand.

Methods

Data on facility level inputs and outputs were collected at 24 health centres in four districts of Malawi visiting a random sample of government and a convenience sample of Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) health centres. In the cost function, total outputs, quality, facility ownership, average salaries and case mix are used to predict total cost. Regression analysis identifies marginal cost as the coefficient relating cost to service volume intensity.

Res

SUBMITTER: Johns B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3729666 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature