Dimensions of Ratings of Maternal and Neonatal Health Services: A Factor Analysis

Author(s): Bulatao R A, Ross J A

Year: 2001

Abstract:
Ratings of the adequacy of national maternal and neonatal health programs, for 48 developing countries, are factor analyzed to determine the dimensions along which expert raters made their judgments. Up to 17 factors could be identified, largely paralleling the grouping of the 81 items in the questionnaire. Further analysis identified larger blocks of items, representing the capacity of health facilities, the extent of women's access to services, the care women receive, and policy and support services, plus a miscellaneous factor covering relatively rare service items. The various factor results were mostly interpretable and suggest that raters made careful judgments.