[EQ] Health inequalities according to educational level in different welfare regimes

From: The David McDaid
LSE Health and Social Care

 

Health inequalities according to educational level in different welfare regimes:
a comparison of 23 European countries

Terje A. Eikemo ^1,2 Martijn Huisman ^2,3  Clare Bambra ⁴ and Anton E. Kunst ²

 

¹Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and SINTEF Health Research, Norway
²Department of Public Health, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
3Interdisciplinary Centre for Psychiatric Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
⁴Centre for Public Policy and Health, Durham University, UK.

 

Sociology of Health & Illness  Volume 30 Issue 4 Page 565-582, May 2008

 

Website: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9566.2007.01073.x

 

“…..The object of this study was to determine whether the magnitude of educational health inequalities varies between European countries with different welfare regimes. The data source is based on the first and second wave of the European Social Survey.

The first health indicator describes people's mental and physical health in general, while the second reports cases of any limiting longstanding illness. Educational inequalities in health were measured as the difference in health between people with an average number of years of education and people whose educational years lay one standard deviation below the national average.

Moreover, South European welfare regimes had the largest health inequalities, while countries with Bismarckian welfare regimes tended to demonstrate the smallest. Although the other welfare regimes ranked relatively close to each other, the Scandinavian welfare regimes were placed less favourably than the Anglo-Saxon and East European. Thus, this study shows an evident patterning of magnitudes of health inequalities according to features of European welfare regimes.

Although the greater distribution of welfare benefits within the Scandinavian countries are likely to have a protective effect for disadvantaged cities in these countries, other factors such as relative deprivation and class-patterned health behaviours might be acting to widen health inequalities…..”

 

 

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[EQ] State Health Policies Aimed at Promoting Excellent Systems

State Health Policies Aimed at Promoting Excellent Systems:
A Report on States’ Roles in Health Systems Performance

Catherine Hess, Sonya Schwartz, Jill Rosenthal, Andrew Snyder, Alan Weil
The National Academy for State Health Policy with support from The Commonwealth Fund
April 2008

Available online as PDF file [101p.] at; http://www.nashp.org/Files/shapes_report.pdf

“…..This report presents findings from the State Health Policies Aimed at Promoting Excellent Systems (SHAPES) project undertaken by the National Academy for State Health Policy with support from The Commonwealth Fund.

The project built on the work of the Commonwealth Fund’s Commission on a High Performance Health System to explore the roles that States play in influencing key health system components such as insurance coverage, quality of care, and information and provider infrastructures.

After conducting surveys of multiple agencies in states across the country, as well as reviewing related literature, the authors found that states are pursuing system improvements across the full spectrum of their authority, including health care purchasing, regulation of providers, reporting of performance data, integration of public health with health care approaches, and improving the availability and affordability of health insurance. Despite this activity, this study finds room for states to do much more. The report also concludes that ongoing efforts to track, study and diffuse information on state activities could accelerate adoption of promising polices and practices. …”

A shorter summary report of themes published by The Commonwealth Fund - States' Roles in Shaping High Performance Health Systems - can be found on the Fund's Web site by clicking here.

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Executive Summary

 

Themes and Noteworthy Findings

Conclusion

Introduction

Background

Methods, organization, and content of the study and report

 

Coverage

Providing Affordable Health Coverage

Simplifying Enrollment and Improving Retention

Addressing Benefits for Essential Health Services

Quality, Efficiency, and Value

 

Quality, Efficiency, and Value  

Providing Leadership within Quality Collaboratives, Agendas, and Forums

Publicly Reporting Patient Safety and Health Care Quality Measures

Leveraging Purchasing Power Through Contract Requirements and Joint Purchasing

Joint Purchasing

Health Systems Infrastructure

 

Health Systems Infrastructure

Assuring Access to Providers, Especially for Underserved Populations

Public and Private Coverage of Telehealth Electronic Consultations

Supporting Information Systems and Technology

Health Information Exchange and Technology

Promoting Population Based Health and Disease Prevention

Conclusion

 

Appendix: Methodology

Conceptual Framework and Background Research

Survey Development, Fielding, Follow-up, and Response

Analysis and Report Writing

Limitations

Notes

 

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This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
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Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMS Area]

"Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
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[EQ] The use of economic evaluations in decision-making

The use of economic evaluations in NHS decision-making:
a review and empirical investigation

 

I Williams, S McIver, D Moore and S Bryan

Health Technology Assessment 2008; Vol. 12: No. 7 – April 2008

 

Available online PDF [210p.] at:

http://www.hta.nhs.uk/fullmono/mon1207.pdf

 

Review methods: A systematic review of existing reviews on the use of economic evaluations in policy decision-making, of health and non-health literature on the use of economic analyses in policy making and of studies identifying actual or perceived barriers to the use of economic evaluations was undertaken. Five UK case studies of committees from four local and one national organisation [the Technology Appraisal Committee of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)] were conducted. Local case studies were augmented by documentary analysis of new technology request forms and by workshop

discussions with members of local decision-making committees.

 

Conclusions: This study suggests that research is needed into structures, processes and mechanisms by which technology coverage decisions can and should be made in healthcare. Further development of ‘resource centres’ may be useful to provide independent published analyses in order to support local  decisionmakers.

Improved methods of economic analyses and of their presentation, which take account of the concerns of their users, are needed. Finally, the findings point to the need for further assessment of the feasibility and value of a formal process of clarification of the objectives that we seek from investments in healthcare….”

 

Content:

Executive summary

1 Introduction

The problem to be addressed

Research questions

2 Methods

Defining research terms

Research strategy

Systematic review

Case studies

3 Results from the systematic review

4 Results from local research

5 Results from the NICE case study

6 Discussion

7 Conclusions

References

Appendix

 

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This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMS Area]

"Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members".
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[EQ] Certificate in the Foundations of Public Health - University of Michigan

Certificate in the Foundations of Public Health (CFPH)

 

University of Michigan School of Public Health (SPH)

 

Website: http://www.sph.umich.edu/distance/#description

 

This program offers public health workers and those interested in exploring the field the unique opportunity to earn an academic credential in public health through a convenient, part-time, distance-learning format.

 

This 16-credit, graduate program is taught by leading SPH faculty and is comprised of the following five foundational courses:

 

·       Principles of Environmental Health Sciences

·       Psychosocial Factors in Health-Related Behavior

·       Introduction to Biostatistics

·       Strategies and Uses of Epidemiology

·       Survey of the U.S. Health Care System

 

Program and a sample "class" are like, the following link will take you to the Online Experience: 
http://www.sph.umich.edu/distance/experience/ *

 

For additional information or to access the free online application, CFPH website:
http://www.sph.umich.edu/distance/index.html

 

 

Elena Chesney- Certificate in the Foundations of Public Health Program

University of Michigan School of Public Health eterraza@umich.edu 734.764.9554

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This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMS Area]

"Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members".
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