Cash on delivery: Results of a randomized experiment to promote maternal health care in Kenya

Karen A. Grépin, James Habyarimana and William Jack

Journal of Health Economics, 2019, vol. 65, issue C, 15-30

Abstract: We conducted a randomized controlled experiment to test whether vouchers, cash transfers, and SMS messages were effective in boosting facility delivery rates among poor, pregnant women in rural Kenya. We find a strong effect of the full vouchers and the conditional cash transfers: 48% of women with access to both interventions delivered in a health facility, while only 36% of those with neither did. Amongst women who did not receive a cash transfer, we find that a small copayment dramatically reduced voucher effectiveness, suggesting a discontinuous impact of cost-sharing on the demand for health services. Both the unconditional cash transfer and the text messages had limited effect on the use of health services. Finally, we also find no evidence that a government policy to eliminate user fees increased demand for maternal health services.

Keywords: Maternal health; Global health; Kenya; Developing countries; Randomized controlled trial (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D04 D10 L10 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:65:y:2019:i:c:p:15-30

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2018.12.001

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