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Economics of Health Equity

Health equity refers to equal status in overall health and access to quality health care, regardless of various social and economic factors, such as income, ethnicity or gender. Achieving health equity, while a noble goal, remains elusive around the world. Studies by economists, physicians and others have found that social factors contribute to health inequities around the world.

  1. Identification

    • The wealthy live longer, healthier lives than the poor, according to David and Elaine Coburn's 2007 book, "The Economics of Health Equity." They note that this is true in the world's developed and developing nations. In the United States, for example, people in the poorest households are five times more likely to die within the next 10 years than people in the wealthiest.

    Geography

    • A 2008 report by the World Health Organization finds health inequities, as measured by life expectancy rates, around the world. Children born in Japan or Sweden, for example, can expect to live more than 80 years, while children born in some African countries may live less than 50 years. The lower a person's socioeconomic status, the worse his health, the WHO concludes.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The WHO recommends improving health equity worldwide by improving daily living conditions, especially for women and girls, by improving education and health care access. The WHO report further recommends a rigorous public sector that is adequately funded. Policies to improve health equity require action by governments, international organizations and civil society, the report concludes.

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