Primary health care in practice: usual source of care and health system performance across 14 countries.

Journal: The Lancet. Global health

Volume: 12

Issue: 1

Year of Publication: 2023

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Public Health Foundation of India, Gurugram, India; Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, India. Health Economics Research Unit, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya. Health Policy and Systems Department, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya. Public Health Foundation of India, Gurugram, India; Centre for Chronic Conditions and Injuries, Gurgaon, Haryana, India; Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia; Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, India. Department of Family Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Buenos Aires, Argentina. School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Epidemiology and Health Services Research Unit, Mexican Social Security Institute, Mexico City, Mexico. School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: kcroke@hsph.harvard.edu.

Abstract summary 

Primary health care (PHC) is central to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, yet comparable cross-country data on key aspects of primary care have not been widely available. This study analysed data from the People's Voice Survey, which was conducted in 2022 and 2023 in 14 countries. We documented usual source of care across countries and examined associations of usual source of care with core PHC services, quality ratings, and health system confidence. We found that 75% of respondents had a usual source of care, and that 40% of respondents accessed usual care in the public sector at primary level. 44% rated their usual source of care as very good or excellent. Access to PHC-linked screenings and treatments varied widely within and across countries. Having any usual source of care was associated with higher take-up of preventive services, greater access to treatment including mental health services, and greater health system endorsement. Strengthening links between health system users and primary care providers could improve take-up of preventive care and increase user satisfaction with health system performance.

Authors & Co-authors:  Kruk Wright Tadele Prabhakaran Nzinga Mugo Mohan Mfeka-Nkabinde Lewis Garcia-Elorrio HaileMariam Doubova Kapoor Moshabela Croke

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

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Citations :  WHO Declaration on Primary Health Care. 2018. https://www.who.int/teams/primary-health-care/conference/declaration
Authors :  15
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00513-2
SSN : 2214-109X
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Humans
Other Terms
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Kenya
Publication Country
England