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Health‐care quality and information failure: Evidence from Nigeria

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  • David K. Evans
  • Anna Welander Tärneberg

Abstract

Low‐quality health services are a problem across low‐ and middle‐income countries. Information failure may contribute, as patients may have insufficient knowledge to discern the quality of health services. That decreases the likelihood that patients will sort into higher quality facilities, increasing demand for better health services. This paper presents results from a health survey in Nigeria to investigate whether patients can evaluate health service quality effectively. Specifically, this paper demonstrates that although more than 90% of patients agree with any positive statement about the quality of their local health services, satisfaction is significantly associated with the diagnostic ability of health workers at the facility. Satisfaction is not associated with more superficial characteristics such as infrastructure quality or prescriptions of medicines. This suggests that patients may have sufficient information to discern some of the most important elements of quality, but that alternative measures are crucial for gauging the overall quality of care.

Suggested Citation

  • David K. Evans & Anna Welander Tärneberg, 2018. "Health‐care quality and information failure: Evidence from Nigeria," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 90-93, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:27:y:2018:i:3:p:e90-e93
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3611
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Glick, Peter, 2009. "How reliable are surveys of client satisfaction with healthcare services? Evidence from matched facility and household data in Madagascar," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 368-379, January.
    2. Das, Jishnu & Sohnesen, Thomas Pave, 2006. "Patient satisfaction, doctor effort, and interview location : evidence from Paraguay," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4086, The World Bank.
    3. Christopher S. Brunt & Gail A. Jensen, 2014. "Pricing Distortions In Medicare'S Physician Fee Schedule And Patient Satisfaction With Care Quality And Access," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(7), pages 761-775, July.
    4. Leonard, Kenneth L., 2008. "Is patient satisfaction sensitive to changes in the quality of care? An exploitation of the Hawthorne effect," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 444-459, March.
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