LESSON 3: SUPPLEMENTAL READING Flashcards
(53 cards)
(?) is the study of how resources are allocated within the health sector to improve population health outcomes efficiently and equitably.
PUBLIC HEALTH ECONOMICS
(?) helps governments and decision-makers use economic principles to improve health systems. It ensures limited resources are used wisely, interventions are cost-effective, and populations, especially vulnerable groups, are treated equitably.
PUBLIC HEALTH ECONOMICS
Health resources (e.g., funding, medical personnel, hospital beds) are limited, so they must be allocated efficiently to maximize health benefits.
RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND SCARCITY
Evaluates the costs and health outcomes of different interventions to determine which provides the best value for money.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS (CEA)
Compares the costs of an intervention to the monetary value of its benefits, helping policymakers decide whether an intervention is worth the investment.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS (CBA)
Balances economic efficiency (maximizing health benefits per dollar spent) with equity (ensuring fair access to health services, especially for vulnerable populations).
HEALTH EQUITY & EFFICIENCY TRADE-OFFS
Recognizes that healthcare markets do not always function efficiently due to issues like information asymmetry, externalities (e.g., vaccination benefits beyond the individual), and monopolies in pharmaceutical industries.
MARKET FAILURES IN HEALTH
Examines how public health programs are funded (e.g., taxation, insurance, donor funding) and ensures long-term financial sustainability.
FINANCING & SUSTAINABILITY
Studies how psychological and social factors influence individuals’ health-related behaviors and economic choices.
BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS AND HEALTH DECISIONS
Assesses how diseases affect economic productivity, labor markets, and national economic growth.
BURDEN OF DISEASE & ECONOMIC IMPACT
Resources like money, health workers, equipment, and medicine are finite. Decisions must be made on how to distribute them across competing health needs.
RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND SCARCITY
Efficient resource allocation maximizes health outcomes but often requires (?) that can be politically and socially sensitive.
TRADE-OFFS
A method to compare interventions based on their costs and health gains, usually expressed in cost per QALY (Quality-Adjusted Life Year) or DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year).
COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS
Distributing mosquito nets might cost $10 per DALY averted, while building new hospitals might cost $500 per DALY averted.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS
Helps prioritize interventions that offer the most health benefit per dollar spent.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS
Enables data-driven decision-making, especially when budgets are tight.
COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS
Converts both costs and benefits into monetary terms to determine if the benefits of an intervention outweigh the costs.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
A measles vaccine campaign costing $20 million might save $100 million in hospital admissions, lost wages, and funeral costs.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
Useful in justifying public investment in prevention and long-term health gains.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
Supports transparent decisions, especially when competing for government or donor funds.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
Public health must balance equity (fair access) and efficiency (maximum benefit for cost). Sometimes, reaching the poorest costs more but is critical for fairness.
HEALTH EQUITY & EFFICIENCY TRADE-OFFS
Health programs should aim to reduce health disparities while maintaining efficient spending.
HEALTH EQUITY & EFFICIENCY TRADE-OFFS
Policies should be informed by both ethics and economics, possibly using tools like equity weighting.
HEALTH EQUITY & EFFICIENCY TRADE-OFFS
Health markets often do not function efficiently
MARKET FAILURES IN HEALTH
