Studies in Reproductive Health Services in India (1990-1991)

This annotated bibliography is a compilation of studies carried out during 1990-1999 on reproductive health services in India. It is one of a series of annotated bibliographies that is being brought out as part of the Gender and Reproductive Health Research Initiative.

Papers on sub themes namely (i) health care service providers (ii) quality of health care services (iii) women's health care needs (iv) health care: access, utilisation and expenditure and (v) policies: analysis, critique and alternative perspectives, were reviewed. Annotations contain summary findings, critical analysis of methodology used, content analysis of the literature reviewed and research gap in the existing data. The health sector, system of medicine and position in the hierarchical health care service delivery system were the analytical categories in health care service providers. Papers are reviewed on structure, process and outcome to review the quality of health care services. In women's health care needs, reviewers concentrated more on studies that dealt with service component and other socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the users/community along with prevalence and incidence of various illnesses. Studies which looked into access, utlisation and expenditure pattens in relation to people's general health care needs are reviewed under the theme of health care: access, utilisation and expenditure. In policies: analysis, critique and alternative perspectives, health care service delivery system, health care service providers, health budget, medical education, health care management, monitoring and regulation of health care service delivery system.

This annotated bibliography would, surely, facilitate understanding of issues involved in health care delivery system and thereby useful in improving health care services and in improving women's access to health care services.

Supported by:Ford Foundation, India Research Team:Ravi Duggal, Sunita Bandewar, Shelley Saha, Manasee Mishra, Bhagyashree Khaire, Sugandha More, Madhuri Sumant, Priti Bhogale, other 30 field researchers.