The impact of vouchers on the use and quality of health care in developing countries: A systematic review

Authors

Carinne D. Brody
Nicole M. Bellows
Martha Campbell
Malcolm Potts

Document Type

Article (peer-reviewed)

Publication Date

2013

Abstract

One approach to delivering healthcare in developing countries is through voucher programmes, where vouchers are distributed to a targeted population for free or subsidised health care. Using inclusion/exclusion criteria, a search of databases, key journals and websites review was conducted in October 2010. A narrative synthesis approach was taken to summarise and analyse five outcome categories: targeting, utilisation, cost efficiency, quality and health outcomes. Sub-group and sensitivity analyses were also performed. A total of 24 studies evaluating 16 health voucher programmes were identified. The findings from 64 outcome variables indicates: modest evidence that vouchers effectively target specific populations; insufficient evidence to determine whether vouchers deliver healthcare efficiently; robust evidence that vouchers increase utilisation; modest evidence that vouchers improve quality; no evidence that vouchers have an impact on health outcomes; however, this last conclusion was found to be unstable in a sensitivity analysis. The results in the areas of targeting, utilisation and quality indicate that vouchers have a positive effect on health service delivery. The subsequent link that they improve health was found to be unstable from the data analysed; another finding of a positive effect would result in robust evidence. Vouchers are still new and the number of published studies is limiting.

Recommended Citation

Brody, Carinne D., Nicole M. Bellows, Martha Campbell, and Malcolm Potts. 2013. "The impact of vouchers on the use and quality of health care in developing countries: A systematic review," Global Public Health 8(4): 1–26.

DOI

10.1080/17441692.2012.759254

Language

English

Project

Evaluating Voucher-and-Accreditation Programs to Improve Maternal and Reproductive Health Service Delivery