TY - JOUR AU - Prashanth, N. S. AU - Elias, Maya Annie AU - Pati, Manoj Kumar AU - Aivalli, Praveenkumar AU - Munegowda, C. M. AU - Bhanuprakash, Srinath AU - Sadhana, S. M. AU - Criel, Bart AU - Bigdeli, Maryam AU - Devadasan, Narayanan PY - 2016 DA - 2016/08/22 TI - Improving access to medicines for non-communicable diseases in rural India: a mixed methods study protocol using quasi-experimental design JO - BMC Health Services Research SP - 421 VL - 16 IS - 1 AB - India has the distinction of financing its healthcare mainly through out-of-pocket expenses by individual families contributing to catastrophic health expenditure and impoverishment. Nearly 70 % of the expenditure is on medicines purchased at private pharmacies. Patients with chronic ailments are especially affected, as they often need lifelong medicines. Over the past years in India, there have been several efforts to improve drug availability at government primary health centres. In this study, we aim to understand health system factors that affect utilisation and access to generic medicines for people with non-communicable diseases. SN - 1472-6963 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1680-3 DO - 10.1186/s12913-016-1680-3 ID - Prashanth2016 ER -