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In recent years, there has been renewed emphasis on efficiency in resource utilization in the healthcare sector. Most studies in the Indian context have focused on state level analysis. This paper explores sub-state level health system efficiency in Orissa, a low-income state in India. Our analysis estimates the efficiency of the healthcare system at sub-state level using 2012 district level data. We explore the reasons for relative performance of different districts using a frontier estimation technique. There is a substantial difference in performance between the most efficient district of Jharsuguda and the least efficient district of Balangir, resulting from inadequate utilization of available health care resources. Our study also identifies complementarity of private health care resources and the role of other factors, such as sanitation facilities, village electrification, and rural population growth. Our results suggest a need for better utilization of budgetary resources, both under the state department of health and the National Rural Health Mission, to increase health manpower and improve quality through training and better management resources in order to improve district health systems in Orissa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This paper focuses on the inadequate attention on women's non-maternal healthcare in lowand middle-income countries. The study assessed the purchase of and financial access to non-maternal healthcare. It also scoped for mainstreaming household financial resources in this regard to suggest for alternatives. Methods: A household survey through multi-stage stratified sampling in the state of Orissa interviewed rural women above 15 years who were neither pregnant nor had any pregnancy-related outcome six weeks preceding the survey. The questions explored on the processes, determinants and outcomes of health seeking for non-maternal ailments. The outcome measures were healthcare access, cost of care and financial access. The independent variables for bivariate and multivariate analyses were contextual factors, health seeking and financing pattern. Results: The survey obtained a response rate of 98.64% and among 800 women, 43.8% had no schooling and 51% were above 60 years. Each woman reported at least one episode of non-maternal ailment; financial constraints prevented 68% from receiving timely and complete care. Distress coping measures (e.g. borrowings) dominated the financing source (67.9%) followed by community-based measures (32.1%). Only 6% had financial risk-protection; financial risk of not obtaining care doubled for women aged over 60 years (OR 2.00, 95% CI 0.84-4.80), seeking outpatient consultation (OR 2.01, 95% CI 0.89-4.81), facing unfavourable household response (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.09-3.83), and lacking other financial alternatives (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.11-4.07). When it comes to timely mobilization of funds and healthcare seeking, 90% (714) of the households preferred maternal care to non-maternal healthcare. Conclusion: The existing financing options enable sub-optimal purchase of women's non-maternal healthcare. Though dominant, household economy extends inadequate attention in this regard owing to its unfavourable approach towards non-maternal healthcare and limited financial capacity and support from other financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceptions and interactions of various segments of the community, regarding services provided by the government health centres, was assessed in Khurda district of Orissa. It was found that the visits of health workers to the villages were infrequent and their services were not Satisfactory for many of the respondents: The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe respondents reported discrimination for services at the household level. Majority were not satisfied with the services and reported many drawbacks at health centres. The need for reorientation of the health care delivery system, to make it more responsive to the felt needs of the community, are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a study which analyzes health-related hardship financing in rural setting in Orissa, India. The study defines hardship finance as the practice of borrowing money with interest or to sell assets to pay for healthcare. It is based on survey data of 5,383 low-income households in Orissa.