Effects of mutual health organizations on use of priority health-care services in urban and rural Mali: a case-control study.

Objective: To examine the effects of a community-based mutual health organization (MHO) on utilization of priority health services, financial protection of its members and inclusion of the poor and other target groups.

Methods: Four MHOs were established in two districts in Mali. A case-control study was carried out in which household survey data were collected from 817 MHO member households, 787 non-member households in MHO catchment areas, and 676 control households in areas without MHOs.