The effects of neoliberal policies on access to healthcare for people with disabilities

Neoliberal reforms lead to deep changes in healthcare systems around the world, on account of their emphasis on free market rather than the right to health. People with disabilities can be particularly disadvantaged by such reforms, due to their increased healthcare needs and lower socioeconomic status. In this article, we analyse the impacts of neoliberal reforms on access to healthcare for disabled people. This article is based on a critical analytical review of the literature and on two case studies, Chile and Greece. Chile was among the first countries to introduce neoliberal reforms in the health sector, which led to health inequalities and stratification of healthcare services. Greece is one of the most recent examples of countries that have carried out extensive changes in healthcare, which have resulted in a deterioration of the quality of healthcare services. Through a review of the policies performed in these two countries, we propose that the pathways that affect access to healthcare for disabled people include: a) Policies directly or indirectly targeting healthcare, affecting the entire population, including disabled people; and b) Policies affecting socioeconomic determinants, directly or indirectly targeting disabled people, and indirectly impacting access to healthcare. The power differentials produced through neoliberal policies that focus on economic rather than human rights indicators, can lead to a category of disempowered people, whose health needs are subordinated to the markets. The effects of this range from catastrophic out-of-pocket payments to compromised access to healthcare. Neoliberal reforms can be seen as a form of structural violence, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable parts of the population – such as people with disabilities – and curtailing access to basic rights, such as healthcare.     

Youth reproductive health services in Bulawayo,Zimbabwe

This study examines young people's access to reproductive healthcare services via an urban youth advisory centre in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The aim is to explain why teenagers do not always use existing health services. Data from exit questionnaires with users and focus groups with non-users are analysed to evaluate service accessibility. Analysis suggests that even where clinics are spatially accessible, barriers to access include temporal factors, lack of factual knowledge and stigmatisation. The paper concludes that spatial accessibility is not the only factor necessary to ensure equal access to health services. Recommendations are made towards tackling young people's unmet needs for reproductive healthcare services.     

Incentives for voluntary health insurance in a national health system: Evidence from Italy

ObjectivesThe paper evaluates the extent to which the government's policy to encourage the purchase of voluntary health insurance (VHI) may have led to income-related horizontal inequity in access to health care in a universal health care system (NHS).MethodsAd hoc tax return data for the universe of Italian taxpayers for years 2009-2016 are used to estimate the tax benefits granted to taxpayers who hold VHI, the redistributive impact, and the public budget effect. The income elasticity of tax benefits is estimated using tax return data and considering some taxpayers’ characteristics (income class, gender, age, and geographic area). Standard inequality indices are computed to assess income-related horizontal inequity in access to health care.ResultsTax incentives, especially those granted to employer-paid health insurance, have a sizeable impact on tax revenue and introduce into the Italian NHS significant income-related horizontal and vertical inequity in access to health care. The results suggest a distributional profile of tax incentives that is highly concentrated in favor of wealthier taxpayers.ConclusionOur analysis adds novel evidence that may contribute to the current debate on whether and to what extent countries in which all citizens have access to free healthcare and equal standards of healthcare services should subsidize VHI, especially when the coverage doubles the healthcare services provided by universal public insurance. We show that VHI reduces tax revenues and introduces disparities among citizens in terms of access to healthcare services.     

Changing geographic access to and locational efficiency of health services in two Indian districts between 1981 and 1996

In developing countries, including India, the role of the private sector in the provision of basic healthcare services is gradually expanding, since the public sector provides limited services and covers only limited areas. Using location-allocation models (LAM), this paper (1) examines the changing geographic access to and locational efficiency of basic public healthcare vis-à-vis private healthcare services in two districts located in northwestern part of India, and (2) interrogates the factors that govern their geographic accessibility and locational-efficiency. Although this research confirms regional inequalities in geographic accessibility and locational efficiency of both public and private healthcare services in the selected districts, the locational efficiency of private health services is significantly lower than that of public health services. This paper further demonstrates the use of LAM for new site identification (keeping the existing healthcare sites intact) that will, in the future, improve locational efficiency of these services. This paper not only recommends improved geographic access to both public and private health services and their enhanced complementary role, but also stresses the need to evaluate geographic access from the service-users' perspective and the use of more realistic data on demand and supply in future research. The findings of this paper can be extended to areas with similar geographic settings, and socio-economic and demographic conditions.     

Access to Health Care in the Scandinavian Countries: Ethical Aspects

The health care systems are fairly similar in theScandinavian countries. The exact details vary, but inall three countries the system is almost exclusivelypublicly funded through taxation, and most (or all)hospitals are also publicly owned and managed. Thecountries also have a fairly strong primary caresector (even though it varies between the countries),with family physicians to various degrees acting asgatekeepers to specialist services. In Denmark most ofthe GP services are free. For the patient in Norwayand Sweden there are out-of-pocket co-payments for GPconsultations, with upper limits, but consultations forchildren are free. Hospital treatment is free inDenmark while the other countries use a system without-of-pocket co-payment. There is a very strongpublic commitment to access to high quality healthcare for all. Solidarity and equality form theideological basis for the Scandinavian welfare state.Means testing, for instance, has been widely rejectedin the Scandinavian countries on the grounds thatpublic services should not stigmatise any particulargroup. Solidarity also means devoting specialconsideration to the needs of those who have lesschance than others of making their voices heard orexercising their rights. Issues of limited access arenow, however, challenging the thinking about a healthcare system based on solidarity.     

Unequable spatial accessibility to hospitals in developing megacities: New evidence from Beijing

The increasing inequality in spatial accessibility to hospitals in developing countries has been attracting attention from researchers and politicians. The situation seems to be worse in growing megacities where more than 10 million people live and rapid urban sprawl has caused serious problems with the supply of health and public transport services. The recent global COVID-19 pandemic calls for particular attention to be afforded to the matter of equal access to basic medical facilities and services for people across different neighborhoods. Although some studies have already been undertaken into the subject of health-focused inequality in the cities of developing countries, the spatial inequity in hospital accessibility has rarely been discussed to date. In this paper, I aim to provide new evidence by considering Beijing as a case study. With the results of my analysis, I show that low-income neighborhoods have experienced lower levels of accessibility not only to high-tier hospitals (secondary and tertiary hospitals) but also to primary healthcare services (primary hospital and neighborhood clinics). The rate at which high-income neighborhoods access secondary and tertiary hospitals is approximately 4 times and 1.5 times as high as that of low-income neighborhoods. Low-income face nearly twice the travel time of those from high-income neighborhoods to reach the nearest primary hospital or neighborhood clinics. Suburban neighborhoods have less access to medical services than neighborhoods that are located in the central urban areas. It seems that the rapid urban sprawl has been worsening spatial inequality in the context of access to medical services in the growing megacity of Beijing. Equal access to healthcare services should be prioritized in future policy discussions, especially in relation to the urban growth management of megacities in developing countries in order to ensure that fair and inclusive urbanization processes are undertaken. Equal access to healthcare services would also be widely beneficial in the context of managing the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Strengthening eHealth Systems to Support Universal Health Coverage in sub-Saharan Africa

The aim of universal health coverage (UHC) is to ensure that all individuals in a country have access to quality healthcare services and do not suffer financial hardship in using these services. However, progress toward attaining UHC has been slow, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of information and communication technologies for healthcare, known as eHealth, can facilitate access to quality healthcare at minimal cost. eHealth systems also provide the information needed to monitor progress toward UHC. However, in most countries, eHealth systems are sometimes non-functional and do not serve programmatic purposes. Therefore, it is crucial to implement strategies to strengthen eHealth systems to support UHC. This perspective piece proposes a conceptual framework for strengthening eHealth systems to attain UHC goals and to help guide UHC and eHealth strategy development.     

Women and access to health care.

This paper is concerned with access to health care for women in developing countries, with specific reference to Latin American and Caribbean countries. It reviews the available literature on the concept of access as it relates to other variables such as accountability, affordability and acceptability of health services, taking into consideration the effects of the generalized socio-economic crisis that has affected most countries during the last decade, as well as equity objectives. Various approaches to defining variables affecting access to health care appear in the literature reviewed. While some of them indicate that ability to pay for services act as a major determinant of access to health care, others point to behavioral issues related to motivation, health seeking behavior or perception of illness as a deterrent to women in the low socioeconomic strata, while others indicate that sociocultural issues, such as values, education, religion or demographic variables related to age, influence access to health care. The paper concludes with some comments on policies and strategies for securing access to health and healthcare, indicating the need to move away from traditional solutions including framing gender-based health differences in status and access adequately, promoting and strengthening social participation of women in policy making.     

Access to healthcare services makes a difference in healthy longevity among older Chinese adults

The positive impact of access to healthcare on health and survival among older adults is well-documented in Western societies. However, whether the pattern still holds in developing countries where healthcare coverage is more limited is largely unknown. China, a developing country with the largest population in the world, has been transforming its antiquated healthcare system during the past few decades in response to rapid population aging. Yet, in recent years the lack of access to healthcare has been identified as the top concern by most citizens in China. We used the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey and the community-level data sources from the National Bureau of Statistics of China to examine the impact of current as well as childhood access to healthcare services on subsequent three-year survival and healthy survival at old ages from 2002 to 2005 under a multilevel context. Healthy survival was measured by a cumulative deficit index calculated from thirty-nine variables pertaining to various dimensions of health. Our analyses showed that access to healthcare at present and during childhood improved the odds of subsequent three-year survivorship by 13–19% and 10%, respectively, controlling for various confounders. But the effect of access to healthcare at present was no longer statistically significant once baseline health status in 2002 was controlled for. Access to healthcare at present increased odds of healthy survival by 22–68%, while access to healthcare in childhood increased odds of healthy survival by 18%. All patterns held true for both men and women, for urban and rural areas, across ages, as well as across socioeconomic statuses. Our findings suggested that positive inputs such as access to healthcare services over the life course make a substantial difference in healthy longevity, which has implications for the establishment of the universal healthcare system.     

Human rights and access to healthcare services for indigenous peoples in Africa

In September 2015, the United Nations adopted the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to address among others poverty and inequality within and among countries of the world. In particular, the SDGs aim at ameliorating the position of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in societies. One of the over-arching goals of the SDGs is to ensure that no one is left behind in the realisation of their access to health care. African governments are obligated under international and regional human rights law to ensure access to healthcare services for everyone, including indigenous populations, on a non-discriminatory basis. This requires the governments to adopt appropriate measures that will remove barriers to healthcare services for disadvantaged and marginalised groups such as indigenous peoples.     

卫生立法的国际经验对我国的启示

本文通过分析典型国家卫生立法的现状和发展的共同点,结合我国政治、社会和经济环境,对我国《基本卫生法》立法提出政策建议。多数工业化国家都有一个相同的价值观,即政府确保公民不受地域和经济能力的限制享有卫生服务。各国卫生立法都经历了与政治发展同步的数次改革。几乎每一个以公共筹资体系为主的国家,都同时存在商业医疗保险和私人医疗服务,但医疗卫生服务体系很少以市场为主导。所有国家都在向建立整合的协同医疗服务体系方向努力,并已建立了与经济发展和国民收入相适应的、长期稳定的卫生筹资模式。作为卫生领域的根本法,《基本卫生法》应以更宏观的视角对卫生和健康问题的基本定位、基本价值和基本框架进行定位,突出"无论公民的性别、年龄、宗教、社会地位和经济状况,政府都有责任确保其获得基本医疗卫生服务和基本药物"的核心价值观。     

A scoping review on the experiences and preferences in accessing diabetes-related healthcare information and services by British Bangladeshis

Diabetes is a chronic condition requiring lifelong self-management. Patients are encouraged to access appropriate services to facilitate optimum management of diabetes. Although equitable access to healthcare in the United Kingdom is a legal right, not all groups and individuals in the community experience equity. Despite various equality laws and numerous efforts to minimise health inequalities related to access, particular community groups are more likely to experience inequitable access than others. The Bangladeshi community are one such community who experience some of the worst diabetes-related health outcomes in the United Kingdom. Little is known about their experiences and preferences in accessing diabetes healthcare information and services. Consequently, we undertook a scoping review of the literature by following the York Scoping Reviews Framework to identify the experiences and preferences of Bangladeshi patients and carers when gaining access to diabetes-related healthcare information and services. We identified eight articles and reported our results in relation to four domains of access: health service availability, health service utilisation, health service outcomes and the notion of equity. The review identified that language and literacy issues were the most common barriers hindering access to information and services. Patient knowledge regarding diabetes and its management was generally low, and friends and family were frequently being used as information sources and as informal interpreters. Additionally, there were feelings of isolation from mainstream information and services possibly resulting in the high prevalence of depression in the Bangladeshi community with women more affected than men. Social networks combined with religious and cultural beliefs as well as wider societal duties played a crucial role in accessing information and services for this population, and the identification of these issues merit further research and are possible avenues towards improved access to healthcare information and services for the Bangladeshi population.     

Registry data for cross-country comparisons of migrants' healthcare utilization in the EU: a survey study of availability and content

Background  

Cross-national comparable data on migrants' use of healthcare services are important to address problems in access to healthcare; to identify high risk groups for prevention efforts; and to evaluate healthcare systems comparatively. Some of the main obstacles limiting analyses of health care utilization are lack of sufficient coverage and availability of reliable and valid healthcare data which includes information allowing for identification of migrants. The objective of this paper was to reveal which registry data on healthcare utilization were available in the EU countries in which migrants can be identified; and to determine to what extent data were comparable between the EU countries.     

How can a policy foster local pharmaceutical production and still protect public health? Lessons from the health–industry complex in Brazil

The global health community is increasingly advocating for the local production of pharmaceuticals in developing countries as a way to promote technology transfer, capacity building and improve access to medicines. However, efforts to advance drug manufacturing in these countries revive an old dilemma of fostering technological development versus granting access to social services, such as healthcare. This paper explores the case of Brazil, a country that has developed large-scale health-inspired industrial policies, but is, yet, little understood. Brazil’s experience suggests that progressive healthcare bureaucrats can create innovative practices for technology and knowledge transfers. It also demonstrates that highly competitive pharmaceutical firms can collaborate with each other, if a government provides them the right incentives. Reforming regulatory policies is crucial for guaranteeing high-quality products in developing countries, but governments must play a crucial role in supporting local firms to adapt to these regulations. These findings send a strong message to global health policymakers and practitioners on the conditions to create a suitable environment for local production of medical products.     

Chronic non-communicable diseases and the challenge of universal health coverage: insights from community-based cardiovascular disease research in urban poor communities in Accra,Ghana

Background

The rising burden of chronic non-communicable diseases in low and middle income countries has major implications on the ability of these countries to achieve universal health coverage. In this paper we discuss the impact of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) on primary healthcare services in urban poor communities in Accra, Ghana.

Methods

We review the evidence on the evolution of universal health coverage in Ghana and the central role of the community-based health planning services (CHPS) programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme in primary health care. We present preliminary findings from a study on community CVD knowledge, experiences, responses and access to services.

Results

The rising burden of NCDs in Ghana will affect the achievement of universal health coverage, particularly in urban areas. There is a significant unmet need for CVD care in the study communities. The provision of primary healthcare services for CVD is not accessible, equitable or responsive to the needs of target communities.

Conclusions

We consider these findings in the context of the primary healthcare system and discuss the challenges and opportunities for strengthening health systems in low and middle-income countries.

     

Reform, equity and efficiency of the healthcare systems in Latin America. An analysis to inform the Spanish aid. 2008 SESPAS Report

In the 1990s, international financial multilateral agencies promoted changes in the way health systems were financed and organized. Three decades later, equity and efficiency are still central problems of the health systems in developing countries. The present article focuses on the health sector reforms introduced in Latin America in order to draw policy lessons for Spanish aid. One of those reforms, the introduction of competition in health insurance management and provision and the increase of private sector participation - managed competition -, was widely promoted, despite the lack of empirical evidence and the opposition from public and scientific sectors. Years after its implementation, health system financing is still inequitable and access to health services is far from universal and adequate due to the barriers imposed by insurers, among other reasons. Moreover, segmentation in healthcare provision and inefficiency persist in healthcare systems that are expensive to manage. The Spanish state, currently undergoing a process of transformation of its aid model, should focus its efforts on redressing international agencies' policies toward strengthening public health systems in the region and, at the same time, toward improving the quantity and quality of aid at country level, favoring the leadership of receiving countries.     

Globalization of healthcare

Healthcare worldwide is undergoing a dramatic change consistent with the changes that globalization has brought in many major industries. While medical care has a long tradition of international cooperation and sharing of expertise, this current phenomenon is very different because of the unique combination of demand from international hospitals paired with a new ability and willingness of U.S. hospitals to become engaged in international endeavors. Educated and Internet-savvy consumers, a growing middle class in emerging markets, highly trained physicians, and struggling public health systems that are unable to meet the needs and expectations of patients are some of the forces behind the demand for globalization in healthcare. This significant demand is being met by the capacity of major U.S. medical centers to transfer comprehensive management expertise and intellectual property to international sites. Consequently, the mobilization of health services globally is concurrent with the expectation that healthcare services will be validated through standardization of quality and safety measurement systems. This universal movement to define "quality outcomes" will provide the platform that finally pushes the true globalization of healthcare.     

Access and effectiveness in psychological therapies: self-help as a routine health technology

The ability of psychological treatment services to deliver effective and accessible mental healthcare, as demanded by the National Service Framework for mental health, is compromised by the traditional configuration of psychological therapy services, powerful gatekeeping by these services and the difficulties which exist in engaging primary care in mental healthcare. Although a number of service models have been suggested, most address access from the perspective of secondary care service providers. In particular, self-help, a powerful ideology and a clinically effective health technology, is given insufficient prominence in psychological therapy services. Self-help is often only considered for mild problems or as an adjunct to therapy, and it is assumed that mental health professionals with traditional therapeutic skills are needed to support self-help. Following a review of access and self-help in psychological therapies, the present authors propose criteria against which services could be designed in order to fully utilise self-help as a powerful health technology in psychological therapies. Accompanying these criteria is a research framework drawn from recent work on access and illness self-management that can be used to evaluate the performance of services attempting to improve access to psychological therapies.