@article{fdi:010086054,
  title = {{E}ffect of the free healthcare policy on socioeconomic inequalities in care seeking for fever in children under five years in {B}urkina {F}aso : a population-based surveys analysis},
  author = {{S}amadoulougou, {S}. and {N}egatou, {M}. and {N}gawisiri, {C}. and {R}idde, {V}al{\'e}ry and {K}irakoya-{S}amadoulougou, {F}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {I}n 2016, {B}urkina {F}aso implemented a free healthcare policy as an initiative to remove user fees for women and under-5 children to improve access to healthcare. {S}ocioeconomic inequalities create disparities in the use of health services which can be reduced by removing user fees. {T}his study aimed to assess the effect of the free healthcare policy ({FHCP}) on the reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in the use of health services in {B}urkina {F}aso. {M}ethods {D}ata were obtained from three nationally representative population based surveys of 2958, 2617, and 1220 under-5 children with febrile illness in 2010, 2014, and 2017-18 respectively. {C}oncentration curves were constructed for the periods before and after policy implementation to assess socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare seeking. {I}n addition, {E}rreyger's corrected concentration indices were computed to determine the magnitude of these inequalities. {R}esults {P}rior to the implementation of the {FHCP}, inequalities in healthcare seeking for febrile illnesses in under-5 children favoured wealthier households [{E}rreyger's concentration index = 0.196 ({SE} = 0.039, p = 0.039) and 0.178 ({SE} = 0.039, p < 0.001) in 2010 and 2014, respectively]. {T}hese inequalities decreased after policy implementation in 2017-18 [{C}oncentration {I}ndex ({CI}) = 0.091, {SE} = 0.041; p = 0.026]. {F}urthermore, existing pro-rich disparities in healthcare seeking between regions before the implementation of the {FHCP} diminished after its implementation, with five regions having a high {CI} in 2010 (0.093-0.208), four regions in 2014, and no region in 2017 with such high {CI}. {I}n 2017-18, pro-rich inequalities were observed in ten regions ({CI}:0.007-0.091),whereas in three regions ({P}lateau {C}entral, {C}entre, and {C}ascades), the {CI} was negative indicating that healthcare seeking was in favour of poorest households. {C}onclusion {T}his study demonstrated that socioeconomic inequalities for under-5 children with febrile illness seeking healthcare in {B}urkina {F}aso reduced considerably following the implementation of the free healthcare policy. {T}o reinforce the reduction of these disparities, policymakers should maintain the policy and focus on tackling geographical, cultural, and social barriers, especially in regions where healthcare seeking still favours rich households.},
  keywords = {{S}ocioeconomic inequalities ; {H}ealthcare utilization ; {C}hildren under-5 ; {B}urkina {F}aso ; {BURKINA} {FASO}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{I}nternational {J}ournal for {E}quity in {H}ealth},
  volume = {21},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {124 [10 p.]},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1186/s12939-022-01732-2},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086054},
}