Download or read book Measurement and Explanation of Inequality in Health and Health Care in Low income Settings written by Eddy van Doorslaer and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This paper describes approaches to the measurement and explanation of income-related inequality and inequity in health care financing, health care utilization and health and considers the applicability and the feasibility of these methods in low-income countries. Results from a comparative study of 14 Asian countries are used to illustrate the main issues. The structure of health finance in low-income countries, in particular the heavy reliance on out-of-pocket payments, means that the equity issues in finance are quite different from those of concern in high-income countries. Primary concern is not with the distribution of contributions to pre-payment mechanisms but with the deterrent effect of payments on utilization and the distribution of uninsured payment risks. Measurement of inequity in utilization of health care in low-income countries is constrained by the lack of reliable measures of health that can be used to standardize..." -- abstract.
Download or read book Communities in Action written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-04-27 with total page 583 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.
Download or read book Handbook on Health Inequality Monitoring written by World Health Organization and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 2013 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Handbook on health inequality monitoring: with a special focus on low- and middle-income countries is a resource that enables countries to do just that. It presents a comprehensive yet clear overview of health inequality monitoring in a user-friendly manner. The handbook succeeds in giving those involved in health inequality monitoring an appreciation of the complexities of the process, as well as building the practical knowledge and skills for systematic monitoring of health inequalities in low- and middle-income countries. The use of the handbook will enable countries to better monitor and evaluate their progress and performance with a high degree of accountability and transparency, and allow them to use the results to formulate evidenced-based policies, programmes and practices to tackle inequalities in an effective manner."--Publisher's description.
Download or read book Health Inequality written by Mel Bartley and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-12-05 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At a time when social inequalities are increasing at an alarming rate, this new edition of Mel Bartleys popular book is a vital resource for understanding the extent of health inequalities and why they are proving to be persistent despite decades of growing knowledge and policies on the issue. As in the first edition, by examining influences of social class, income, culture and wealth as well as gender, ethnicity and other factors in identity, this accessible book provides a key to understanding the major theories and explanations of what lies behind inequality in health. Bartley re-situates the classic behavioural, psycho-social, and material approaches within a life-course perspective. Evaluating the evidence of health outcomes over time and at local and national levels, Bartley argues that individual social integration demands closer attention if health inequality is to be tackled effectively, revealing the important part that identity plays in relation to the chances of a long and healthy life. Health Inequality will be essential reading for students taking courses in the sociology of health and illness, social policy and welfare, health sciences, public health and epidemiology and all those interested in understanding the consequences of social inequality for health.
Download or read book Inequalities in Health written by Nir Eyal and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2013-10 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Which inequalities in longevity and health among individuals, groups, and nations are unfair? And what priority should health policy attach to narrowing them? These essays by philosophers, economists, epidemiologists, and physicians attempt to determine how health inequalities should be conceptualized, measured, ranked, and evaluated.
Download or read book The Transformation of Academic Health Centers written by Steven Wartman and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2015-03-30 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Transformation of Academic Health Centers: The Institutional Challenge to Improve Health and Well-Being in Healthcare’s Changing Landscape presents the direct knowledge and vision of accomplished academic leaders whose unique positions as managers of some of the most complex academic and business enterprises make them expert contributors. Users will find invaluable insights and leadership perspectives on healthcare, health professions education, and bio-medical and clinical research that systematically explores the evolving role of global academic health centers with an eye focused on the transformation necessary to be successful in challenging environments. The book is divided into five sections moving from the broad perspective of the role of academic health centers to the role of education, training, and disruptive technologies. It then addresses the discovery processes, improving funding models, and research efficiency. Subsequent sections address the coming changes in healthcare delivery and future perspectives, providing a complete picture of the needs of the growing and influential healthcare sector. Outlines strategies for academic health centers to successfully adapt to the global changes in healthcare and delivery Offers forward-thinking and compelling professional and personal assessments of the evolving role of academic health centers by recognized outstanding academic healthcare leaders Includes case studies and personal reflections, providing lessons learned and new recommendations to challenge leaders Provides discussions on the discovery process, improving funding models, and research efficiency
Download or read book Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health written by Roger Detels and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017 with total page 1717 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sixth edition of the hugely successful, internationally recognised textbook on global public health and epidemiology, with 3 volumes comprehensively covering the scope, methods, and practice of the discipline
Download or read book Health Care Utilization as a Proxy in Disability Determination written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-04-02 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two programs that provide benefits based on disability: the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. This report analyzes health care utilizations as they relate to impairment severity and SSA's definition of disability. Health Care Utilization as a Proxy in Disability Determination identifies types of utilizations that might be good proxies for "listing-level" severity; that is, what represents an impairment, or combination of impairments, that are severe enough to prevent a person from doing any gainful activity, regardless of age, education, or work experience.
Download or read book The Health Gap written by Michael Marmot and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-09-10 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Punchily written ... He leaves the reader with a sense of the gross injustice of a world where health outcomes are so unevenly distributed' Times Literary Supplement 'Splendid and necessary' Henry Marsh, author of Do No Harm, New Statesman There are dramatic differences in health between countries and within countries. But this is not a simple matter of rich and poor. A poor man in Glasgow is rich compared to the average Indian, but the Glaswegian's life expectancy is 8 years shorter. The Indian is dying of infectious disease linked to his poverty; the Glaswegian of violent death, suicide, heart disease linked to a rich country's version of disadvantage. In all countries, people at relative social disadvantage suffer health disadvantage, dramatically so. Within countries, the higher the social status of individuals the better is their health. These health inequalities defy usual explanations. Conventional approaches to improving health have emphasised access to technical solutions – improved medical care, sanitation, and control of disease vectors; or behaviours – smoking, drinking – obesity, linked to diabetes, heart disease and cancer. These approaches only go so far. Creating the conditions for people to lead flourishing lives, and thus empowering individuals and communities, is key to reduction of health inequalities. In addition to the scale of material success, your position in the social hierarchy also directly affects your health, the higher you are on the social scale, the longer you will live and the better your health will be. As people change rank, so their health risk changes. What makes these health inequalities unjust is that evidence from round the world shows we know what to do to make them smaller. This new evidence is compelling. It has the potential to change radically the way we think about health, and indeed society.
Download or read book The Measurement and Evolution of Health Inequality Evidence from the US Medicare Population written by Jonathan Skinner and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Has U.S. health care for the elderly become more equitable during the past several decades? When inequality is measured by Medicare expenditures, the answer is yes. During 1987-2001, low income households experienced an increase of 78 percent ($2624) in per capita expenditures, double the increase of 34 percent ($1214) in the highest income group. When inequality is measured by life expectancy, the answer is no. Survival for the lowest income decile grew by 0.2 years during the 1990s compared to 0.8 years in the highest income group. That the two measures deliver such discordant messages may reflect their intrinsic shortcomings; expenditures depend on preferences, health status, and prices, while outcomes are strongly affected by health behavior and past illness. We suggest a new approach to measuring inequality: the use of quality-based effective care measures. For these measures, efficacy is well proven and nearly all of the relevant population should be receiving it, regardless of health status or preferences. Using Medicare claims data matched to zip code income, we find greater use of mammography screening, diabetic eye exams, and the use of ââ blockers and reperfusion following heart attacks among higher income households, and these differences appear to be stable or growing slowly over time. In sum, the rapid relative growth in health care expenditures among low income elderly people has not translated into relative improvement either in survival or rates of effective care.
Download or read book Challenging Inequities in Health written by Timothy Evans and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2001-05-31 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a growing sense that the "health gap" between socioeconomic groups is getting worse in many countries. To address this gap, conceptual clarity and empirical evidence are needed along with a greater focus on equity in policy-making. This book is designed to present cutting-edge research and policy analysis to a wide non-specialist readership of students, professionals and policy-makers. It brings together in one volume new perspectives on the conceptual foundations of health equity, empirical evidence on the scale and nature of he inequities in health in twelve countries around the world, and assessments of the associated policy developments and their implications for the future. It aims to help build global capacity to measure, monitor and interpret developments in health equity at a national and international level. The in-depth country analyses draw on epidemiology, demography, economics and other fields to approach health inequalities from several different angles. The topics covered range from adolescent livelihoods in Tanzania to the health burden of indigenous peoples in Mexico, from health equity in Japan to the gender gap in life expectancy in Russia. The book is a unique demonstration of global cooperation in bringing together and giving equal weight to work on health equity carried out in the southern and northern hemispheres.
Download or read book Health Inequalities written by Katherine E. Smith and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-11-26 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Informed by a wealth of available research, between 1997 and 2010, the UK Labour government introduced a raft of policies to reduce health inequalities. Despite this, by most measures, the UK's health inequalities have continued to widen. This failure has prompted calls for new approaches to health inequalities research and some consensus that public health researchers ought to be more actively involved in 'public health advocacy'. Yet there is currently no agreement as to what these new research agendas should be and despite multiple commentaries reflecting on recent UK efforts to reduce health inequalities, there has so far been little attempt to map future directions for research or to examine what more egalitarian policies means in practical terms. Health Inequalities: Critical Perspectives addresses these concerns. It takes stock of the UK's experiences of health inequalities research and policy to date, reflecting on the lessons that have been learnt from these experiences, both within the UK and internationally. The book identifies emergent research and policy topics, exploring the perspectives of actors working in a range of professional settings on these agendas. Finally, the book considers potential ways of improving the links between health inequalities research, policy and practice, including via advocacy. With contributions from established, international health inequalities experts and newer, up-and-coming researchers in the field, as well as individuals working on health inequalities in policy, practice and civil society settings, Health Inequalities: Critical Perspectives is a 'must buy' for researchers, postgraduate students, policymakers, practitioners, and research funders.
Download or read book Unequal Treatment written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2009-02-06 with total page 781 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Racial and ethnic disparities in health care are known to reflect access to care and other issues that arise from differing socioeconomic conditions. There is, however, increasing evidence that even after such differences are accounted for, race and ethnicity remain significant predictors of the quality of health care received. In Unequal Treatment, a panel of experts documents this evidence and explores how persons of color experience the health care environment. The book examines how disparities in treatment may arise in health care systems and looks at aspects of the clinical encounter that may contribute to such disparities. Patients' and providers' attitudes, expectations, and behavior are analyzed. How to intervene? Unequal Treatment offers recommendations for improvements in medical care financing, allocation of care, availability of language translation, community-based care, and other arenas. The committee highlights the potential of cross-cultural education to improve provider-patient communication and offers a detailed look at how to integrate cross-cultural learning within the health professions. The book concludes with recommendations for data collection and research initiatives. Unequal Treatment will be vitally important to health care policymakers, administrators, providers, educators, and students as well as advocates for people of color.
Download or read book Health and Inequality written by Owen O'Donnell and published by Emerald Group Publishing. This book was released on 2013-12-12 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains methodological and empirical research on the measurement and causes of health inequality from leading experts in health economics and economic inequality. It is essential reading for researchers working on health inequality and provides an immediate reconnaissance of the frontiers for those entering this exciting field.
Download or read book Social Epidemiology written by Lisa F. Berkman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2000-03-09 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book shows the important links between social conditions and health and begins to describe the processes through which these health inequalities may be generated. It reviews a range of methodologies that could be used by health researchers in this field and proposes innovative future research directions.
Download or read book Health and the Income Inequality Hypothesis written by Nick Eberstadt and published by American Enterprise Institute. This book was released on 2004 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few would take exception to the proposition that an improvement in the material well-being of the poor would enhance not only their living standards but their health as well. A number of influential recent studies, however, purport to show that inequality in income -- not poverty per se -- is bad for people's health. This "inequality hypothesis" is meant to apply to everyone, regardless of wealth or social standing, and predicts that the risk of illness depends upon whether one lives in a society that is stratified or egalitarian. Thus, according to this hypothesis, while the poor may suffer the most from inequality, the better off and even the rich suffer as well. The enthusiasm many researchers and observers feel for this theory goes well beyond what might be justified by the evidence. The inequality hypothesis too often relies upon limited or unrepresentative data, hazily expounded causality, elementary econometric fallacies, and results that cannot be replicated. A very persuasive (although less publicly heralded) body of scholarship that challenges the inequality hypothesis is currently emerging. For example, by controlling for relevant variables -- such as household income, maternal characteristics, education, and race -- the relationship between income inequality and the health of infants and adults diminishes or disappears completely. This strongly suggests that income distribution is far less powerful a determinant of population health than the inequality hypothesis holds. Book jacket.
Download or read book Health Inequality and Development written by M. McGillivray and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-11-17 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates issues related to health inequality with a particular interest on developing countries. It provides rigorous empirical work on both trends and causal factors behind health inequality, analyzes the implications of health deprivations on poverty traps and suggests practical policies which can be implemented.
