Summary

Research report: The study gauges the impact of various health financing schemes on access to public health services for the poor.

Description

Authors: Dr Peter Leslie Annear (RMIT University) in association with Maryam Bigdeli (WHO Cambodia), Ros Chun Eang (MOH Cambodia) and Prof. Paul James (RMIT University).

This report details the findings of Phase 2 of research into Financial Access to Health Services for the Poor in Cambodia carried out by the RMIT University in conjunction with the Cambodian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization and AusAID.

The main interest of the study is to gauge the impact of various health financing schemes on access to public health services for the poor. Phase 1: Scope, design, and data analysis (completed in April 2006), made a comprehensive national analysis of access to health services for the poor across all health districts in Cambodia where Contracting, Health Equity Funding and/or Community-Based Health Insurance schemes had been introduced.

Phase 2 builds on the Phase 1 findings through the analysis of two in-depth case studies in one urban and one rural location. The case study approach was designed to validate the findings of the Phase 1 research and to provide richer and more detailed qualitative data on the operation and impact of the pro-poor schemes, focussing on the demand-side issues of access to health services.

In general, the findings indicate that the health financing and contracting schemes have worked to improve access and quality of health services for the poor and the near-poor.

Full publication

• Study of financial access to health services for the poor in Cambodia Phase 2 [PDF 796 KB]
• Annexes [PDF 292 KB]

This report was commissioned by the department. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the department or the Australian Government.