@article{PAR00000268,
  title = {{E}ffects of improved care offer on health center activity in a rural area in {S}enegal},
  author = {{S}ouares, {A}. and {C}hippaux, {J}. {P}. and {L}e {H}esran, {J}. {Y}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground: {T}his study aimed at analyzing the short-term effects of an improvement in care offer on dispensary activity in a rural area of {S}enegal {M}ethods: {T}he {N}iakhar health center, situated 150km east of {D}akar, underwent significant changes during the years 1998 and 1999: a hospital unit was built, the maternity ward was extended and the patient reception facilities were refurbished and reorganized. {W}e examined dispensary registers before (1997) and after (2000) this period of time. {W}e focused on data reporting activity and utilization of the health center. {W}e also studied the users' perception of these improvements. {I}nterviews were conducted with 39 families to measure the consequences of this change on their attitudes towards treatment. {R}esults: {T}he number of consultants increased by 49.8% from 1997 to 2000. {A}ctivity peaked during the rainy season, during which consultations were twice as numerous in 2000 as in 1997. {H}owever a similar increase was noticed in another health center close to {N}iakhar and could be attributed to the high precipitation rate observed in this area in the year 2000. {F}or children, there was no difference in center utilization between the two study years as each child went to the dispensary 1.18 and 1.21 times a year in 1997 and 2000 respectively. {T}he maternity activity exhibited a 68% increase in deliveries. {F}amilies interviewed said the dispensary was significantly improved, but they were not able to change their practice, due to lack of financial resources and poor drug supply. {C}onclusion: {T}he changes in care offer did not seem to have yielded the expected effect on care activity. {T}he appointment of a midwife as well as improvements in both technical facilities and awareness contributed to the increase in maternity use.},
  keywords = {utilization ; health center ; care offer ; rural area ; {S}enegal},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{R}evue {D} {E}pidemiologie {E}t {D}e {S}ante {P}ublique},
  volume = {53},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {143--151},
  ISSN = {0398-7620},
  year = {2005},
  DOI = {10.1016/{S}0398-7620(05)84584-5},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00000268},
}