ArticlePloS one2022
Inequalities in maternal healthcare use in Sierra Leone: Evidence from the 2008-2019 Demographic and Health Surveys.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed.
- Integrated Determinants of Maternal Healthcare Decisions: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Predisposing, Enabling, and Illness-Level Factors in Bo District, Sierra Leone.Annals of global health · 2026Article
- Regional trends, spatial patterns and factors associated with health facility delivery among women of reproductive age in Sierra Leone.Reproductive health · 2025Article
- Inequalities in the use of three-dose of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine among women in Sierra Leone, 2008-2019.Malaria journal · 2025Article
- Improving Sierra Leone's skilled health-worker-to-population ratio: how unsalaried and auxiliary health workers are barriers in its path to universal health coverage.BMJ global health · 2025Article
- Inequality in Utilization of Maternal Healthcare Services in Low‑ and Middle‑Income Countries: A Scoping Review of the Literature.Maternal and child health journal · 2025Article
- Determinants of poor access to health care among women of reproductive age in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Inequalities in total fertility rate in Sierra Leone, 2008-2019.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in skilled birth attendant utilization in Ethiopia: A secondary data analysis.PloS one · 2025Article
- Similarities in socioeconomic disparities and inequalities in women's nutritional status and health care in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, and Nigeria.Global health action · 2024Article
- Socioeconomic and geographical inequalities in polio immunisation coverage among two-year-olds in Sierra Leone, 2008-2019.BMC infectious diseases · 2024Article
- Trends and inequalities in modern contraceptive use among women in Sierra Leone, 2008-2019.Reproductive health · 2024Article
- Trends and inequalities in adequate antenatal care coverage among women in Sierra Leone, 2008-2019.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2024Article
- Causes of maternal deaths in Sierra Leone from 2016 to 2019: analysis of districts' maternal death surveillance and response data.BMJ open · 2024Article
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2 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundSierra Leone is one of the countries with poor health outcomes. The country has made some progress in the uptake of maternal health services. Despite improvements in the national coverage rates, there is no evidence of how equal these improvements have been.
objectiveTo estimate inequalities in maternal healthcare use in Sierra Leone.
methodsUsing cross-sectional study data from 2008, 2013, and 2019 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), we study inequalities in maternal health services by computing rate ratios, and concentration indices (as well as concentration curves) using selected inequality stratifiers such as household wealth index, maternal education, and rural/urban place of residence.
resultsWe found that considerable progress has been made in increasing the uptake of maternal health services as well as reducing inequalities over time. We also found that inequalities in the selected health indicators favoured women from wealthy households, educated women, as well as women from urban areas. Although inequalities declined over time, the use of delivery services was highly unequal. However, of the selected health interventions, the use of four or more antenatal visits was almost at perfect equality in 2013 and 2019.
conclusionAlthough efforts have been made to increase the use of maternal healthcare services among women with a lower socioeconomic status, the use of maternal health services remains favourable to women with a higher socioeconomic standing. Therefore, policy initiatives need to prioritise women of lower socioeconomic status through projects aimed at increasing women's educational levels as well as focusing on poverty reduction.
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