Article HistorySocial inequalities in health care are considered to arise from social and economic determinants outside the health care services. There is an increasing interest in the role of the health care system. It is generally assumed that socioeconomic gradients in access to health care are very high, but only recently has this been subject to critical review. This study adopts health concentration index as a measure of inequalities in health status among pregnant women in Nigeria. The study observes that socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare utilization in Nigeria can be attributed to the high level of poverty in the country, as a major barrier that discourages household from gaining access to health care services. For healthcare utilization among pregnant women in Nigeria to be effective, the study suggests for interventions in order to promote maternal health care service utilization among pregnant women in Nigeria.
Contribution/ Originality:The study contributes to the existing literature on analysis of inequality among pregnant women utilization of health care services in Nigeria. Health concentration index was adopted as a measure of inequalities in health status among pregnant women in Nigeria. The findings show that socioeconomic inequalities in healthcare utilization in Nigeria can be attributed to the high level of poverty in the country.
Contribution/ OriginalityThe study contributes to the existing literature on the socioeconomic factors that determine women utilization of health care services in Nigeria.
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