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Approaches to overcoming constraints to effective health service delivery: a review of the evidence

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  • Valeria Oliveira-Cruz

    (Health Policy Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK)

  • Kara Hanson

    (Health Policy Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK)

  • Anne Mills

    (Health Policy Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK)

Abstract

This paper reviews the current evidence base regarding efforts to overcome constraints to effective health service delivery in low and middle-income countries. A systematic literature review was chosen as the approach to gather and analyse existing knowledge about how to improve the 'close-to-client' health system. We focused on three levels of constraints: community and household, the health services delivery level itself, and health sector policy and strategic management. In total, 116 studies were reviewed and their main findings presented. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the considerable limitations in the existing evidence base. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Valeria Oliveira-Cruz & Kara Hanson & Anne Mills, 2003. "Approaches to overcoming constraints to effective health service delivery: a review of the evidence," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(1), pages 41-65.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:15:y:2003:i:1:p:41-65
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.965
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    Cited by:

    1. Solveig Danielsen & Frank B. Matsiko, 2016. "Using a plant health system framework to assess plant clinic performance in Uganda," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 8(2), pages 345-359, April.
    2. M. Kent Ranson & Kara Hanson & Valeria Oliveira-Cruz & Anne Mills, 2003. "Constraints to expanding access to health interventions: an empirical analysis and country typology," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(1), pages 15-39.
    3. World Bank, 2007. "Healthy Development : The World Bank Strategy for Health, Nutrition, and Population Results," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6843, December.
    4. Ahmed, Shakil & Annear, Peter Leslie & Phonvisay, Bouaphat & Phommavong, Chansaly & Cruz, Valeria de Oliveira & Hammerich, Asmus & Jacobs, Bart, 2013. "Institutional design and organizational practice for universal coverage in lesser-developed countries: Challenges facing the Lao PDR," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 250-257.
    5. John Øvretveit, 2006. "Strengthening Health Services in Low Income Countries," World Bank Publications - Reports 25992, The World Bank Group.
    6. Valeria Oliveira-Cruz & Christoph Kurowski & Anne Mills, 2003. "Delivery of priority health services: searching for synergies within the vertical versus horizontal debate," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(1), pages 67-86.
    7. Kara Hanson & M. Kent Ranson & Valeria Oliveira-Cruz & Anne Mills, 2003. "Expanding access to priority health interventions: a framework for understanding the constraints to scaling-up," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(1), pages 1-14.
    8. Boussalis, Constantine & Nelson, Hal T. & Swaminathan, Siddharth, 2012. "Towards comprehensive malaria planning: The effect of government capacity, health policy, and land use variables on malaria incidence in India," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(7), pages 1213-1221.
    9. Shreelata Rao Seshadri, 2003. "Constraints to scaling-up health programmes: a comparative study of two Indian states," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(1), pages 101-114.

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