Health Equity: 08/31/10

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

[EQ] Communicating research for evidence-based policymaking - A practical guide for researchers

Communicating research for evidence-based policymaking

A practical guide for researchers in socio-economic sciences and humanities

Directorate-General for Research

Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities EUR 24230 EN
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010

Available online PDF [60p.] at: http://bit.ly/cySOrw

“…identified the key priorities for deepening communication and strengthening the transfer of knowledge and experience between research and policymaking.

This publication is designed to offer an easy-to-read guide which identifies the most important stages in the development of a dynamic communication strategy and which will ensure that the projects funded under the Framework Programmes make a real difference in enabling policymakers to respond to the significant challenges we face. Divided into three parts – Concept, Policy Briefs and Practical Means – this guide is intended to help exploit research concepts into

genuine policy action…..”

Table of contents

1 The concept

1.1 Setting the scene – Strengthening cooperation between research and policymaking

1.2 The big challenge – Making research accessible to policymakers

1.3 The seventh Framework Programme – Supporting research in Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities

1.4 Defining issues – Effective identification of policy-relevant issues

1.5 Knowledge transfer – Two-way dialogue

1.6 Teamwork – Creating the right communication and dissemination team

1.7 Identifying audiences –The relevant target groups

2 The policy brief – Engaging and sustaining interest

3 Some practical means

4 Ten steps towards an effective dissemination strategy

5 Glossary

6 Selected bibliography

7 Annexes

7.1 Example of policy brief – Innodrive

7.2 Guidelines for project websites

7.3 Example of project flyer

7.4 Example of project brochure

7.5 Guidelines for project final conferences

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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/ KMC 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] Income, education and gender-related inequalities in out-of-pocket health-care payments for 65+ patients - a systematic review

Income-, education- and gender-related inequalities in out-of-pocket health-care payments for 65+ patients
- a systematic review

Sandro Corrieri 1,2 , Dirk Heider 1 , Herbert Matschinger 3 , Thomas Lehnert 2 , Elke Raum 4 and Hans-Helmut König 1,2
1 University of Leipzig, Health Economics Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Leipzig, Germany
2 Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg, Germany
3 University of Leipzig, Department of Psychiatry, Leipzig, Germany
4 Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany

International Journal for Equity in Health – August 2010, 9:20doi:10.1186/1475-9276-9-20

Available online at: http://bit.ly/aumRwS

“…..In all OECD countries, there is a trend to increasing patients' copayments in order to balance rising overall health-care costs [1]. Major concerns in this topic revolve around inequalities in burden for subgroups of society, being unproportionally charged for health care services because of their socioeconomic background. The difference in financial strain is displayed in a larger share of income that must be invested in health care services, leading to dissimilar efforts for comparable benefits, and disadvantages for low-income beneficiaries.

There are three major forms of copayments. Firstly, there is a varying amount that must be paid by the patient before the insurance company steps in, called deductible. Regularly, a higher deductible is associated with a lower premium, leaving the beneficiary with a lower basic amount, but at higher risk in case of morbidity. Secondly, the co-insurance marks the amount of out-of-pocket payments OOPP the beneficiary has to spend after the deductible limit is reached.

The insurer only pays a stipulated percentage share of the costs, while the patient pays for the rest. Thirdly, and in the focus of this article, there are direct out-of-pocket payments OOPP for health-care services. Examples are costs for prescription medications, hospital stays, alternative medicine, physiotherapy or home nursing, which are not covered by insurance policies and have to be paid by the patients themselves [2].

All three forms of copayments are suspected to evoke or reinforce inequalities in burdens for beneficiaries, especially regarding predispositions in education, sex and, foremost, income, as will be explored in this review.

In the USA, copayments have been established for a long time and have caused a large body of studies, making the USA the most valuable source for literature. This may give the opportunity to outline possible future developments in Europe.

The present review gives an overview of the inequalities of out-of-pocket payments OOPP by the fastest growing population, the elderly aged 65+, associated with income, education and sex. In the elderly, inequalities are likely to be most apparent due to extensive use of medical services caused by age-related morbidity. Purpose of this task is to provide a basis, serving as foundation for future studies focusing on the mechanisms causing the described inequalities….”

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any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission. 

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