Daniel Erku1,2,3, Paul Scuffham4,5, Katrina Gething4,5, Richard Norman6, Alemayehu B Mekonnen7, Gebremedhin B Gebretekle8,9, Yibeltal Assefa10, Gizachew A Tessema6,11. 1. Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Building G05 2.44A, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia. d.erku@griffith.edu.au. 2. Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. d.erku@griffith.edu.au. 3. Centre for Research and Engagement in Assessment of Health Technology (CREATE), Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. d.erku@griffith.edu.au. 4. Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Building G05 2.44A, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia. 5. Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. 6. Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. 7. Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. 8. Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 9. Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment (THETA) Collaborative, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. 10. School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. 11. School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Understanding the preferred choice of healthcare service attributes for women is important, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where resources are constrained and improving reproductive and maternal healthcare services is of high importance. The aim of this systematic review was to identify attributes of reproductive and maternal healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa, and summarise the factors shaping women's preference to access these services. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched from the inception of each database until March 2021 for published studies reporting stated preferences for maternal and reproductive healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa. Data were extracted using a predefined extraction sheet, and the quality of reporting of included studies was assessed using PREFS and ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research) checklists. The Donabedian's model for quality of healthcare was used to categorise attributes into "structure", "process" and "outcome". RESULTS: A total of 13 studies (12 discrete choice experiments and one best-worst scaling study) were included. Attributes related to the structure of healthcare services (e.g. availability of technical equipment, medications or diagnostic facilities, having good system conditions) are often included within the studies, and are considered the most important by women. Of the three dimensions of quality of healthcare, the outcome dimension was the least frequently studied across studies. All except one study explored women's preferences and the participants were pregnant women, women aged 18-49 years who had recently given birth and women living with human immunodeficiency virus. The included studies came from five sub-Saharan Africa countries of which Ethiopia and South Africa each contributed three studies. All of the included studies reported on the purpose, findings and significance of the study. However, none of the studies reported on the differences between responders vs non-responders. Nine of the 13 studies employed the ISPOR checklist and reported each item including the research question and the methods for identifying and selecting attributes, and provided the findings in sufficient detail and clarity. CONCLUSIONS: Aligning maternal healthcare service provision with women's preferences may foster client-oriented services and thereby improve service uptake and better patient outcomes.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Understanding the preferred choice of healthcare service attributes for women is important, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where resources are constrained and improving reproductive and maternal healthcare services is of high importance. The aim of this systematic review was to identify attributes of reproductive and maternal healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa, and summarise the factors shaping women's preference to access these services. METHODS: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched from the inception of each database until March 2021 for published studies reporting stated preferences for maternal and reproductive healthcare services in sub-Saharan Africa. Data were extracted using a predefined extraction sheet, and the quality of reporting of included studies was assessed using PREFS and ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research) checklists. The Donabedian's model for quality of healthcare was used to categorise attributes into "structure", "process" and "outcome". RESULTS: A total of 13 studies (12 discrete choice experiments and one best-worst scaling study) were included. Attributes related to the structure of healthcare services (e.g. availability of technical equipment, medications or diagnostic facilities, having good system conditions) are often included within the studies, and are considered the most important by women. Of the three dimensions of quality of healthcare, the outcome dimension was the least frequently studied across studies. All except one study explored women's preferences and the participants were pregnant women, women aged 18-49 years who had recently given birth and women living with human immunodeficiency virus. The included studies came from five sub-Saharan Africa countries of which Ethiopia and South Africa each contributed three studies. All of the included studies reported on the purpose, findings and significance of the study. However, none of the studies reported on the differences between responders vs non-responders. Nine of the 13 studies employed the ISPOR checklist and reported each item including the research question and the methods for identifying and selecting attributes, and provided the findings in sufficient detail and clarity. CONCLUSIONS: Aligning maternal healthcare service provision with women's preferences may foster client-oriented services and thereby improve service uptake and better patient outcomes.
Authors: M E Kruk; M M Paczkowski; A Tegegn; F Tessema; C Hadley; M Asefa; S Galea Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2009-10-12 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: Elysia Larson; Daniel Vail; Godfrey M Mbaruku; Angela Kimweri; Lynn P Freedman; Margaret E Kruk Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-08-11 Impact factor: 3.240