Table 1 Matrix of factors reported by papers to attract care seekers to different provider types: Cost of services

Cost of services at the provider (including consultation, treatment, supplies)

(n = 44)

'Cheap'

Ethiopia[10], Uganda[11](traditional birth attendants)

'Cheap'

Kenya[14], Tanzania[15], Uganda [16–18] Nigeria [19], [20] Ghana [21], Ethiopia [22], Tanzania[23], Malawi[24], Nigeria [25, 26]

'Cheap' Burkina Faso[33]

'Cheap' Uganda [16]

Free services

Malawi [36]South Africa [37] Kenya [38], Tanzania [31]

Ethiopia [39]

'Free services' Kenya[35]

'Free or cheap drugs' Uganda [45, 46] Tanzania [47]

'No charge' Uganda [12, 13]

'Affordable' drug vendors

Nigeria[27, 28]Ghana[29]

'For those who find it difficult to pay'

Tanzania [23], Uganda[32]

'Reduced cost' Kenya[35]

'Free if unable to pay' Tanzania[34]

'Low cost' Uganda[41]

'Inexpensive services'

Nigeria [48] Ghana [21], Nigeria[20], Kenya[14], [38, 49, 50], Mozambique[51]Ethiopia [52]

'Charge less than others' Kenya [30]

'Flexible in payment' Tanzania[34]

'Can get treatment on credit' Uganda [16], Nigeria [28]

'Free if Under 5yr olds' Gambia[40]

'Economical for finding out the cause of an illness' Tanzania[44]

Affordable

Tanzania[53]

'Can get treatment on credit' Uganda [16], Tanzania [31], Nigeria [27, 19, 26]

'Pay according to the treatment you get' Kenya[35]

'Low cost' Mozambique [37]Uganda[41], Sudan[42]

'Flexibility in mode of payment'

Kenya[14]

'Option of bargaining' Nigeria[20]

'Prices are negotiable' Kenya[35]

'Can get treatment on credit' Tanzania [31]

'Give medicine according to the money you can afford' Uganda[32]

'Covered by insurance' Ghana [43]