Healthcare Access and Utilization in Kampala's Busiest Slums: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

Healthcare access in Kampala's busiest slums is constrained by a combination of economic barriers and infrastructure limitations. A longitudinal study design was employed with semi-structured interviews as the primary data collection method. Data were analysed using mixed-methods approaches to triangulate findings. During the follow-up period, there was a significant increase in outpatient visits (by 20%) compared to baseline levels, reflecting improved access and affordability of services despite challenges. Residents perceive healthcare as increasingly accessible but face persistent financial barriers that limit service utilization. Targeted interventions focusing on reducing out-of-pocket expenses and improving referral pathways are recommended to enhance accessibility and usage. Treatment effect was estimated with logit (pᵢ) =₀+^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.