Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41299336›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025

Disparities in spatial access to healthcare facilities for pregnant women: a case study of a hilly region in India.

Vijay Kumar, Pragyan Monalisa Sahoo, Tulika Tripathi, Himansu Sekhar Rout

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

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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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

4 authors.

Vijay KumarDepartment of Economics, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8412-9746
Pragyan Monalisa SahooSymbiosis Centre for Behavoural Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, Pune, Maharashtra, India. monalisapragyan001@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1799-0683
Tulika TripathiDepartment of Studies in Economics and Planning, Central University of Gujarat, Gujarat, India. tulika.tripathi@cug.ac.in.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6839-8292
Himansu Sekhar RoutDepartment of Analytical & Applied Economics, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. hsrout@utkaluniversity.ac.in.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8445-340X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe global maternal mortality crisis has been a cause of worry, with almost 800 women dying every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. To improve maternal survival rates, pregnant women must receive timely and appropriate care throughout their pregnancy. In this context, the location of healthcare facilities and the availability of transportation are critical determinants of maternal health outcomes.

objectivesThis study investigates spatial access to pregnancy care in Himachal Pradesh, a state characterized by challenging hilly terrain in India, with a particular emphasis on the role of public healthcare infrastructure and transport availability in shaping access to care for pregnant women, including antenatal, intranatal, and postnatal care.

methodsThis study used data from the most recent secondary data from the Demographic Health Survey for India (NFHS-5, 2019–21), the Survey of India, and Open Government Data. It applied spatial analysis, including facility density, distance, and travel time, alongside socio-economic factors affecting pregnancy healthcare access. Univariate LISA assessed spatial autocorrelation, while binomial logistic regression and ANOVA examined socio-economic determinants of antenatal, intranatal, postnatal, and pregnancy care. Analyses were conducted in STATA 14 and RStudio 3.34.0.

resultsThe findings revealed significant disparities in spatial access to pregnancy care, with central and densely populated districts benefiting from better accessibility, while remote areas faced substantial challenges due to a limited road network and public healthcare facility coverage. The study also highlighted the role of socio-economic factors, with disadvantaged groups experiencing poorer access.

conclusionIn conclusion, spatial accessibility remains a key barrier to equitable pregnancy care access in Himachal Pradesh. Policy recommendations focused on enhancing access to maternal healthcare.

Indexed as

Healthcare DisparitiesHealth FacilitiesHealth Services AccessibilityMaternal Health ServicesPrenatal CareAdultFemaleHumansIndiaPregnancySocioeconomic Disparities in HealthSocioeconomic FactorsSpatial AnalysisTransportationYoung AdultAccessibilityHealth disparityPregnancy carePublic policySDG 3Spatial analysis

Identifiers

PMID41299336
PMCPMC12764097

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.