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

Author Info

  • 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)

Registered author(s):

    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.

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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/jid.965
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    Article provided by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. in its journal Journal of International Development.

    Volume (Year): 15 (2003)
    Issue (Month): 1 ()
    Pages: 41-65

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    Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:15:y:2003:i:1:p:41-65
    Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5102/home

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    Cited by:

    1. World Bank, 2007. "Healthy Development : The World Bank Strategy for Health, Nutrition, and Population Results," World Bank Publications, The World Bank, number 6843, March.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. 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.

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