Peer-reviewed article
Health insurance coverage and access to child and maternal health services in West Africa: a study protocol for a systematic review
Joshua Dadjo, Olumuyiwa Omonaiye, Sanni Yaya ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5This document describes a planned systematic review, not yet completed, examining whether having health insurance improves access to maternal and child health services in West Africa. The region has some of the highest maternal and under-five death rates in the world, and researchers want to know if health coverage helps mothers and children get care like prenatal visits or emergency treatment. The review will search several health databases for existing studies and grey literature on this topic. Findings will be summarised in tables rather than combined statistically. The results are meant to inform debates about pursuing universal health coverage as a health policy strategy.
Key points
- West Africa has the highest maternal mortality rates and under-five mortality rates in the world.
- Universal health coverage is widely seen as a solution but may be insufficient without addressing poverty and education.
- The review will look at health insurance's link to maternal and child access to health services, including prenatal visits and emergency care.
- Two reviewers will independently screen studies and extract data using a standardized Cochrane form.
- A narrative synthesis with summary tables will be produced rather than a meta-analysis.
Limitations
This is only a study protocol describing planned methods; it contains no actual results or findings about health insurance's effects yet.
Abstract
Abstract Background Though many studies have discussed the impact of health insurance on access to medical services, few have considered Western Africa. Despite decades of targeted efforts, West Africa has the most elevated maternal mortality rates (MMR) and under-five mortality rates in the world. The solution to this issue is widely believed to be the implementation of universal health coverage (UHC) as most causes of death could be effectively dealt with through primary health care providers. It is possible that UHC without additional efforts to tackle important determinants of health such as education and poverty is insufficient. The objective of this study is to examine the link between being covered by health insurance and access to health services for mothers and children in West Africa. Methods A systematic literature review will be conducted. We will search the online databases MEDLINE complete, Embase, CINAHL complete, and Global Health from inception onwards. The focus will be on primary research studies and grey literature that examined health insurance in relation to access to maternal and child health services. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The primary outcome will be maternal and child access to health insurance and access to primary and secondary services such as attending the minimum number of prenatal visits and accessing services in emergency circumstances where catastrophic expenditures may have been an obstacle. A standardized data extraction form by the Cochrane library will be used. A narrative synthesis will be conducted with a summary of findings tables to be produced. Discussion The systematic review will present findings on the impact of access to health insurance on access to maternal and child health care. The findings will inform discussion around the pursuit of UHC as a key health systems policy. The final manuscript will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal and scientific conferences. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42020203859