Health seeking by people living with non-communicable diseases in a pluralistic health system: the role of informal healthcare providers.

Background: There is a growing global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. NCDs constitute a growing public health concern in the Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), amplified by rapid urbanisation and urban inequality. Urbanisation and associated inequalities, have profound impacts on healthcare provision and health seeking decision making by marginalised populations living in urban informal settlements.

The Economic Burden of Healthcare Utilization: Findings from a Health and Well-Being Survey in Informal Settlements of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The fragile health system in Sierra Leone undermines healthcare, leading to substantial patient costs. We aimed to estimate the economic burden and inequalities in healthcare in urban informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three informal settlements in Freetown in April and May 2023 to collect data on healthcare usage within and outside the boundaries of the informal settlements.