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Economic Policy and the Provision of Family Planning in Developing Countries
Author(s) -
Harris Kelsey B.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
world medical and health policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.326
H-Index - 11
ISSN - 1948-4682
DOI - 10.1002/wmh3.279
Subject(s) - developing country , government (linguistics) , family planning , economic growth , policy analysis , health policy , economic planning , developed country , public economics , public policy , economics , business , political science , health care , public administration , medicine , research methodology , population , market economy , linguistics , philosophy , environmental health
Despite some progress, wide gaps remain in the provision of family planning and reproductive health services in developing countries. As governments debate how to provide such services, this commentary considers general economic motivation, what principles are being implemented in practice, and why government policy may not align with what economic analysis suggests. Case studies from three developing countries—Uganda, Haiti, and the Philippines—are presented in an attempt to bridge gaps between economic analysis, current policy, and implementation, and examine whether economic concepts are being considered in current policy responses. Following this preliminary review, all three countries appear to value economic concepts that reinforce the government's role in provision of family planning, but that does not necessarily correlate to effective policy implementation or access to services. More broadly, this consideration of economic policy and the provision of family planning in three developing countries suggests that economic policy can complement rights‐based policy arguments.