Browsing by Author "Mubangizi, Deus Bazira"

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    The public-private mix health care resources distribution implications for equity : Kampala district, Uganda
    (2002) Mubangizi, Deus Bazira; McIntyre, Di
    While in sociology, choice and equity have always co-existed; this has not been a subject of attention in the health care market. Following promotion of the public- private mix in the health care sector, there have been concerns that the pursuit of efficiency might compromise equity in accessing health care services. The main concern for this study was that the resulting relative health care resources distribution following public-private interaction has equity implications at the household level. Kampala district in Uganda was used to investigate this concern. Data collected from a household survey, key informant interviews and secondary data on health care resources distribution, was analyzed using STATA statistical package. The study findings indicated that the private health care sector in Uganda has grown in size and that it caters for more people in Kampala district than the public health care sector. The findings further indicated that households use private services due to the perceived high quality of services, availability of drugs, availability of doctors and other health workers and the nearness of private providers. On the other hand, public health services where used or preferred was due primarily to availability of doctors. Other findings indicated that there was a relationship between provider choice/use and the distribution of health care resources particularly; health workers and health care facilities. This applied both at household level and geographically. Utilization of health services also varied with distribution of the same resources. Private provider use was not solely dependent on income and hence ability to pay, but on other factors related to service characteristics such as perceived quality. The findings further show that there are inequities in financing health care services with low-income groups paying relatively more than high- income groups. The study proposes to policy makers a monitoring mechanism of the variables and outcome measures, both at household and sectoral level, in order to minimize inequities in access to health care. The study also recommends that a comprehensive regulatory framework needs to be set up to promote and control the activities of the private health sector in Uganda.