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Measurement and Explanation of Inequality in Health and Health Care in Low-Income Settings

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  • Eddy van Doorslaer
  • Owen O'Donnell

Abstract

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.

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  • Eddy van Doorslaer & Owen O'Donnell, 2008. "Measurement and Explanation of Inequality in Health and Health Care in Low-Income Settings," WIDER Working Paper Series DP2008-04, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:dp2008-04
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    Cited by:

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    2. Crespo-Cebada, Eva & Urbanos-Garrido, Rosa M., 2012. "Equity and equality in the use of GP services for elderly people: The Spanish case," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(2), pages 193-199.
    3. John Scott, 2008. "Redistributive Constraints under High Inequality: The Case of Mexico," Working Papers DTE 441, CIDE, División de Economía.
    4. Fauzilah Salleh & Puspa Liza Binti Ghazali & Ahmad Syukri Yazid & Wan Norhayate Wan Daud & Roslida Abdul Razak, 2018. "Developing of Micro Health Takaful of Affordable Monthly Payment for Poor Community in Malaysia," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 8(12), pages 1219-1227, December.
    5. Zaman, Gheorghe & Hrehorciuc Caragea, Nicoleta, 2012. "Health Inequality - An Overview on the Health Disparities between Romania and European Union State Members," MPRA Paper 48779, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Van de Poel, Ellen & Van Doorslaer, Eddy & O’Donnell, Owen, 2012. "Measurement of inequity in health care with heterogeneous response of use to need," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 676-689.
    7. Abu-Zaineh, Mohammad & Mataria, Awad & Moatti, Jean-Paul & Ventelou, Bruno, 2011. "Measuring and decomposing socioeconomic inequality in healthcare delivery: A microsimulation approach with application to the Palestinian conflict-affected fragile setting," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 133-141, January.
    8. Liu, Dan & Tsegai, Daniel W., 2011. "The New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) and its implications for access to health care and medical expenditure: Evidence from rural China," Discussion Papers 116746, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).

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    Keywords

    Equality and inequality; Decision making (Finance; Public); Health; Healthcare; Public health;
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