rss
J Med Ethics 2001;27:275-283 doi:10.1136/jme.27.4.275

Equity - some theory and its policy implications

  1. Anthony J Culyer
  1. University of York

      Abstract

      This essay seeks to characterise the essential features of an equitable health care system in terms of the classical Aristotelian concepts of horizontal and vertical equity, the common (but ill-defined) language of “need” and the economic notion of cost-effectiveness as a prelude to identifying some of the more important issues of value that policy-makers will have to decide for themselves; the characteristics of health (and what determines it) that can cause policy to be ineffective (or have undesired consequences); the information base that is required to support a policy directed at securing greater equity, and the kinds of research (theoretical and empirical) that are needed to underpin such a policy.

      Footnotes

      • Anthony J Culyer is Professor of Economics, Department of Economics & related Subjects, University of York, Heslington, York.

      This Article

      1. Abstract
      2. Full text
      3. PDF

      Responses

      1. Submit a response
      2. No responses published

      Social bookmarking

      Register for free content


      Free sample
       This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of JME.
      View free sample issue >>

      Free archive
      The full back archive is now available for JME. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
      Register to access the free archive >>

      Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.