Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24433944›Full record

ArticleGlobal health action2014

Public and private maternal health service capacity and patient flows in Southern Tanzania: using a geographic information system to link hospital and national census data.

Patrik Tabatabai, Stefanie Henke, Katharina Sušac, Oberlin M E Kisanga, Inge Baumgarten, Gisela Kynast-Wolf, Heribert Ramroth, Michael Marx

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Global health action, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Patrik TabatabaiInstitute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; PatrikTabatabai@web.de.
Stefanie HenkeLaboratory for Geodata Analysis and Visualization, Department III Civil Engineering and Geoinformation, Beuth University, Berlin, Germany; Tanzanian German Programme to Support Health, German Development Cooperation/Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Katharina SušacInstitute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Oberlin M E KisangaTanzanian German Programme to Support Health, German Development Cooperation/Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Inge BaumgartenTanzanian German Programme to Support Health, German Development Cooperation/Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Gisela Kynast-WolfEpidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Heribert RamrothEpidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael MarxInstitute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStrategies to improve maternal health in low-income countries are increasingly embracing partnership approaches between public and private stakeholders in health. In Tanzania, such partnerships are a declared policy goal. However, implementation remains challenging as unfamiliarity between partners and insufficient recognition of private health providers prevail. This hinders cooperation and reflects the need to improve the evidence base of private sector contribution.

objectiveTo map and analyse the capacities of public and private hospitals to provide maternal health care in southern Tanzania and the population reached with these services.

designA hospital questionnaire was applied in all 16 hospitals (public n=10; private faith-based n=6) in 12 districts of southern Tanzania. Areas of inquiry included selected maternal health service indicators (human resources, maternity/delivery beds), provider-fees for obstetric services and patient turnover (antenatal care, births). Spatial information was linked to the 2002 Population Census dataset and a geographic information system to map patient flows and socio-geographic characteristics of service recipients.

resultsThe contribution of faith-based organizations (FBOs) to hospital maternal health services is substantial. FBO hospitals are primarily located in rural areas and their patient composition places a higher emphasis on rural populations. Also, maternal health service capacity was more favourable in FBO hospitals. We approximated that 19.9% of deliveries in the study area were performed in hospitals and that the proportion of c-sections was 2.7%. Mapping of patient flows demonstrated that women often travelled far to seek hospital care and where catchment areas of public and FBO hospitals overlap.

conclusionsWe conclude that the important contribution of FBOs to maternal health services and capacity as well as their emphasis on serving rural populations makes them promising partners in health programming. Inclusive partnerships could increase integration of FBOs into the public health care system and improve coordination and use of scarce resources.

Indexed as

Birth RateDelivery, ObstetricFemaleGeographic Information SystemsHealth Care SurveysHospitals, PrivateHospitals, PublicHumansMaleMaternal Health ServicesPregnancySurveys and QuestionnairesTanzaniafaith-basedhealth mappingmaternal healthpublic privateservice capacityTanzania

Identifiers

PMID24433944
PMCPMC3888906

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.