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International Journal of Public Health

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01-11-2015 | Review

Equity in maternal health care service utilization: a systematic review for developing countries

Authors: Zafer Çalışkan, Dilek Kılıç, Selcen Öztürk, Emre Atılgan

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 7/2015

Abstract

Objectives

The objective was to explore progress of equity in the utilization of maternal health care services in developing countries since maternal care is a crucial factor in reducing maternal mortality, which is targeted by the Millennium Development Goal 5.

Methods

A systematic review of quantitative studies was done. PubMed Central, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases were searched for peer-reviewed and English-language articles published between 2005 and 2015.

Results

Thirty-six articles were included in the review. The results reveal the lack of equity in the utilization of maternal health care in developing countries. Thirty-three out of 36 studies found evidence supporting severe inequities while three studies found evidence of equity or at least improvement in terms of equity.

Conclusions

Most of the literature devoted to utilization of maternal health care generally provides information on the level of maternal care used and ignore the equity problem. Research in this area should focus not only on the level of maternal care used but also on the most disadvantaged segments of the population in terms of utilization of maternal care in order to reach the set targets.

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Title: Equity in maternal health care service utilization: a systematic review for developing countries
Authors: Zafer Çalışkan
Dilek Kılıç
Selcen Öztürk
Emre Atılgan
Publication date: 01-11-2015
Publisher: Springer Basel
Published in: International Journal of Public Health / Issue 7/2015
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0711-x

ACC 2024 Congress

Springer Medicine

Equity in maternal health care service utilization: a systematic review for developing countries

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

ACC 2024 Congress

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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