the healing of america a global quest for better

Reid’s The healing of America is an engaging but thin epistle for universal health insurance coverage in the US. These findings should be of interest to those involved in health policy, but also in policy more generally because as we have identified, access to health care is influenced by determinants outside of the health system.T.R. Our data should be used as a means of deciding the most appropriate policy response for each country which includes, rather than excludes, socially marginalised population groups. Despite the differences in political and economic climate in the countries under analysis, our findings highlight patterns of inequity which require policy responses. Recognition of these inequities, from a policy perspective, is essential for health sector policy decision-making. Within Hong Kong, results suggest that older (above 60) and retired individuals have the poorest access and within Australia, females and married individuals are the worst off. For Thailand, the poorest level of access appears to be for respondents who work within the household whereas in Taiwan, part-time work is associated with difficulties in access. Country specific indicators were also identified. Four variables related to difficulties in access to healthcare (distance, appointment, waiting time, and cost) were analysed using binomial logistic regression to identify socio- and demographic predictors of inequity.Ĭonsistent across the findings, poor health and low income were identified as difficulties in access. Data were collected in each country between 20.

This paper is a secondary analysis of these existing data. The aim of this manuscript is to highlight disparities and differences in terms of the factors that distinguish between poor and good access to healthcare across six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.Ī population survey was undertaken in each country. A recent World Health Organization report stated that there is a need for research and policy to address the critical role of health services in reducing inequities and preventing future inequities. Evidence suggests that there is a link between inequitable access to healthcare and inequitable distribution of illness.

The healing of america a global quest for better