Health Equity: 04/01/09

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

[EQ] An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Human Development

Textbook Project:
An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Human Development

HDCA Textbook convened by Séverine Deneulin
Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative, Oxford Department of International Development
Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford, UK 2009

** These are draft chapters for comments only. They are not to be cited or reproduced without the permission of the authors.**

Since 1990, the United Nations Development Programme has been publishing Human Development Reports at the global, regional, national and local level. The message in these reports is simple: development is about giving people the opportunities to live lives they value, and about enabling them to become actors in their own destinies. The message is based on the 'capability approach' of economist and Nobel Prize laureate Amartya Sen. Today, there is little doubt that the approach has had a considerable impact on both academics and policy makers alike.

The book offers new perspectives on a wide range of topics, which include the conceptualisation and measurement of well-being and inequality; the role of markets and economic growth in promoting development; the importance of democracy and public debate; culture and religion; health; equality and justice; and the connections between social and economic policy in addressing poverty and inequality.

Case studies from across the world are used to illustrate concepts and highlight the relevance of the approach in addressing contemporary development challenges. A set of questions accompanies each chapter for seminar discussion to help readers assimilate central points and apply the approach to diverse realities.

Content:

INTRODUCTION

PART I - CONCEPTS

Chapter 1 A Normative Framework for Development [REVISED] – Sabina Alkire and Séverine Deneulin

Chapter 2 The Human Development and Capability Approach [REVISED] – Sabina Alkire and Séverine Deneulin

Chapter 3 Human Development Related Ideas [REVISED] – Séverine Deneulin

PART II - TOPICS

Chapter 4 Economic Growth [REVISED] – Randy Spence

Chapter 5 Equality and Justice – Ingrid Robeyns

Chapter 6 Measurement – Sabina Alkire and and Maria Emma Santos

Chapter 7 Institutions and Economic Development – Susan Johnson

Chapter 8 Democracy [REVISED] – Séverine Deneulin

Chapter 9 Education [REVISED] – Elaine Unterhalter

Chapter 10 Health and Nutrition – Proochista Ariana and Arif Naveed

Chapter 11 Culture and Religion – Sarah White and Séverine Deneulin

PART III - POLICY

Chapter 12 Public Policy Analysis – Randy Spence and Séverne Deneulin

Chapter 13 Policy Case Studies – edited by Séverne Deneulin

APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Pedagogical Pictures – Séverine Deneulin

Appendix 1: Teaching Human Development – Melanie Walker

The final drafts are published by Earthscan and are available for sale from their website at
http://www.earthscan.co.uk/default.aspx?tabid=74778.

Séverine Deneulin is Lecturer in International Development at the University of Bath.
Lila Shahani is Editor for the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation at UNDP

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[EQ] Which Households Are At Risk Of Catastrophic Health Spending: Experience In Thailand After Universal Coverage

Which Households Are At Risk Of Catastrophic Health Spending:
Experience In Thailand After Universal Coverage

Exploring the reasons why some households still incur high levels of spending--even under universal coverage--

can help policymakers devise solutions.

Tewarit Somkotra, a lecturer on the faculty of dentistry at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.
Leizel Lagrada is in the Department of Health Policy Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Tokyo, Japan.

HEALTH AFFAIRS - Web Exclusive – March 31, 2009

Project HOPE–The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc

Available online at: http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.28.3.w467/DC1

“………………The impact of the universal coverage policy implementation in Thailand is demonstrated by the declining incidence of catastrophic health spending among Thai households--particularly among the poor.

The households that remain at risk of catastrophe, as defined here, are better-off households, because of their preference for using private facilities. Others with increased likelihood of incurring catastrophic health expenditures are households with a greater proportion of elderly members, those having a member with a chronic illness or disability, and those having a member who experienced hospitalization. These determinants should prompt policy concerns to protect such households from financial catastrophe. [Health Affairs 28, no. 3 (2009): w467-w478 (published online 31 March 2009; 10.1377/hlthaff.28.3.w467)]

Early Results From Thailand's 30 Baht Health Reform: Something To Smile About

Kannika Damrongplasit,postdoctoral research fellow in health services at the School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, and the RAND Corp.

Glenn Melnick, professor and Blue Cross of California Chair of Health Care Finance at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and a senior economist with RAND in Santa Monica.

HEALTH AFFAIRS - Web Exclusive – March 31, 2009

Project HOPE–The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc

Available online at: http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/full/hlthaff.28.3.w457/DC1

“……Efforts by countries to attain universal coverage are often hampered by supply constraints that can reduce access to care for those already in the system and, in many Asian and developing countries, by the emergence of informal payment systems that extract under-the-table payments from patients.

In 2001, Thailand extended government-financed coverage to all uninsured people with little or no cost sharing. We found that Thailand has added nearly fourteen million people to the system and achieved near-universal coverage without compromising access for those with prior coverage; we also found that, to date, no informal payment system has emerged. [Health Affairs 28, no. 3 (2009): w457-w466 (published online 31 March 2009; 10.1377/hlthaff.28.3.w457)]

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    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.