Characteristics of community savings groups in rural Eastern Uganda: opportunities for improving access to maternal health services

摘要

Background: Rural populations in Uganda have limited access to formal financial Institutions, but a growing majority belong to saving groups. These saving groups could have the potential to improve household income and access to health services.Objective: To understand organizational characteristics, benefits and challenges, of savings groups in rural Uganda.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Data on the characteristics of community-based savings groups (CBSGs) were collected from 247 CBSG leaders in the districts of Kamuli, Kibukuand Pallisa using self-administered open-ended questionnaires. To triangulate the findings, we conducted in-depth interviews with seven CBSG leaders. Descriptive quantitative and content analysis for qualitative data was undertaken respectively.Results: Almost a quarter of the savings groups had 5–14 members and slightly more than half of the saving groups had 15–30 members. Ni...