Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37189035›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2023

Improving the readiness and clinical quality of antenatal care - findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation of a performance-based financing scheme in Burkina Faso.

Inke Appel, Julia Lohmann, Manuela De Allegri, Jean-Louis Koulidiati, Serge Somda, Paul Jacob Robyn, Hermann Badolo, Stephan Brenner

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Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline 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.

Inke AppelHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, INF 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. inke.appel@web.de.
Julia LohmannHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, INF 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Manuela De AllegriHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, INF 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Jean-Louis KoulidiatiHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, INF 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
Serge SomdaCentre Muraz, Institut National de Santé Publique (INSP), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Paul Jacob RobynHealth, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, World Bank, D.C., Washington, USA.
Hermann BadoloCentre Muraz, Institut National de Santé Publique (INSP), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
Stephan BrennerHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, INF 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhile maternal mortality has declined globally, it remains highest in low-income countries. High-quality antenatal care (ANC) can prevent or decrease pregnancy-related complications for mothers and newborns. The implementation of performance-based financing (PBF) schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve primary healthcare provision commonly includes financial indicators linked to ANC service quality indicators. In this study, we examine changes in ANC provision produced by the introduction of a PBF scheme in rural Burkina Faso.

methodsThis study followed a quasi-experimental design with two data collection points comparing effects on ANC service quality between primary health facilities across intervention and control districts based on difference-in-differences estimates. Performance scores were defined using data on structural and process quality of care reflecting key clinical aspects of ANC provision related to screening and prevention pertaining to first and follow-up ANC visits.

resultsWe found a statistically significant increase in performance scores by 10 percent-points in facilities' readiness to provide ANC services. The clinical care provided to different ANC client groups scored generally low, especially with respect to preventive care measures, we failed to observe any substantial changes in the clinical provision of ANC care attributable to the PBF.

conclusionThe observed effect pattern reflects the incentive structure implemented by the scheme, with a stronger focus on structural elements compared with clinical aspects of care. This limited the scheme's overall potential to improve ANC provision at the client level after the observed three-year implementation period. To improve both facility readiness and health worker performance, stronger incentives are needed to increase adherence to clinical standards and patient care outcomes.

Indexed as

Prenatal CareQuality ImprovementQuality of Health CareReimbursement, IncentiveBurkina FasoFemaleHumansMaternal Health ServicesPregnancyAntenatal careBurkina FasoPerformance-based financingQuality of care

Identifiers

PMID37189035
PMCPMC10184361

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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.