title: The effect of power outages on in-facility mortality in healthcare facilities: Evidence from Ghana.
abstract: The World Bank estimates that at least 25 countries in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa experience chronic power outages. However, the implications of power shortages are often discussed within the context of industrial and economic disruptions, with little attention given to the health impact. Using a nationally representative data of healthcare facilities from the 2012 Ghana Access, Bottlenecks, Cost and Equity (ABCE) Health Facility Survey, this study aims to assess the impact of power outages on in-healthcare facility mortality in Ghana, a country that has experienced worsening energy crises in the last few decades. Findings revealed a positive association between the frequency of power outages and in-facility mortality, with the risk for mortality estimated to increase by 43% for each day the power was out for over 2 h. Further, when compared to an urban healthcare facility experiencing the same frequency of power outages, the risk of mortality was found to be lower in the rural facility. These findings call for a concerted effort among all stakeholders to ensure the availability of consistent power supply in healthcare facilities, in order to provide the necessary environment for the successful provision of healthcare for the citizens of Ghana.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Policy and Management , Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University , Statesboro , USA.
authors.forename: Bettye A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Apenteng
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Policy and Management , Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University , Statesboro , USA.
authors.forename: Samuel T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Opoku
authors.affiliation: b Department of Child Health , School of Medical, Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology , Kumasi , Ghana.|c Research and Development Unit, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital , Kumasi , Ghana.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ansong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Policy and Management , Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University , Statesboro , USA.
authors.forename: Emmanuel A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Akowuah
authors.affiliation: d Environmental Health Sciences , Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University , Statesboro , USA.
authors.forename: Evans
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Afriyie-Gyawu
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans
keywords: ABCE health facility survey; Sub-Saharan Africa; energy crises; health outcomes; power outages