Provision of primary healthcare centers and women's healthcare-seeking behaviour: Evidence from Bangladesh

This study examines the association between the establishment of primary healthcare providers- community clinics (CCs)- and healthcare-seeking behavior in Bangladesh. Initiated in 1998, CCs aim to provide accessible healthcare services to remote households, particularly focusing on women and children. Using cluster-level data on healthcare provider availability alongside individual-level data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) for 2011, 2014, and 2017-18, the respective sample sizes are 17842, 17886, and 20127 ever-married women, the study offers robust estimates that address endogeneity concerns present in individual-level analyses. Lagged health indicators are utilized to consider contextual factors influencing CC establishment in specific regions. Results indicate positive associations between CC presence and various healthcare-seeking behaviors, such as increased contraceptive use, higher attendance at antenatal care visits, and improved treatment-seeking for children's illnesses. Notably, rural-urban disparities in healthcare-seeking behavior highlight existing access inequalities. To mitigate this divide, the study recommends expanding CCs nationwide, demonstrating that low-cost healthcare interventions can enhance healthcare-seeking behaviors and suggest potential scalability in similar contexts.