Government expenditure on health and maternal mortality in México: A spatial-econometric analysis

To assess the relationship between government expenditure on maternal health (GE) and maternal mortality (MM) in Mexican poor population between 2000 and 2015 in the 2457 Mexican municipalities.

Using administrative data, we performed the analysis in three stages: First, we tested the presence of selection bias in MM. Next, we assessed the presence of spatial dependence in the incidence and severity of MM. Finally, we estimated a spatial error model considering the correction of estimates for the spatial dependence and selection bias assessed before.

MM and GE were not randomly distributed throughout the Mexican territory; the most socially vulnerable municipalities exhibited the highest levels of MM severity but the lowest levels of GE and available human and physical resources for maternal health; the incidence of MM was independent of GE; elasticity of GE-severity in MM was -4% (P < 0.01).

Resource allocation for maternal health must move towards a more comprehensive vision, and efforts to achieve an effective delivery of universal health services must improve, particularly regarding the most vulnerable municipalities.