Impact of Removing User Fees on Health Care in Ghanaian Children
Author Information
Author(s): Evelyn Ansah, Slim Haddad
Primary Institution: Université de Montréal
Hypothesis
Does removing user fees improve health care utilization and health outcomes in Ghanaian children?
Conclusion
The study found that removing user fees did not significantly improve health outcomes or health care utilization among Ghanaian children.
Supporting Evidence
- Moderate anaemia was detected in 3.1% of children in the control group and 3.2% in the intervention group.
- There were four deaths in the control group and five in the intervention group.
- Health care utilization was higher in the intervention group but only modestly so.
Takeaway
The study looked at whether not charging for health care helps kids get better care, but it found that it didn't really make a difference.
Methodology
A randomized controlled trial comparing a pre-payment scheme allowing free primary care to a control group paying user fees.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to the limited scope of health outcomes assessed and the low prevalence of anaemia in the control group.
Limitations
The study only focused on children and specific health outcomes, which may not represent the overall effectiveness of the pre-payment scheme.
Participant Demographics
Households with children under five years old in the Dangme West District of Ghana.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 0.66–1.67
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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