Health Economics and Management Review
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://devessuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/80820
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Item Policy transfer and health policymaking process: The case of social health insurance in Ghana(Sumy State University, 2023) Awojobi, O.N.; Adeniji, O.A.Since the introduction of the user fee system of healthcare financing in 1969 and its subsequent modifications, the burden of healthcare expenditure on residents of Ghana created health inequality. This system encouraged the poor and vulnerable to have limited access to essential drugs and services. Policy entrepreneurs contributed to raising awareness about the poor and vulnerable people in Ghana not having access to health due to the user fee system as a public policy problem. This awareness began to spread among political leaders, the masses, and professional groups, warranting the attention of policymakers. As significant public dissatisfaction and agitation against the user fee policy continued, the media continued to hold the government responsible for initiating the policy. The democratization process and election period between 1998 and 2000 provided a window of opportunity that led to the idea of health policy change. In 2003, Ghana established the National Social Health Insurance, a form of Social Health Insurance. This study examines the process of establishing the social health insurance scheme through policy transfer framework. First, the paper examines Ghana’s health policy after independence, the National Health Service, and the User Fee Policy that was implemented in 1985. Second, the paper accessed the policy transfer framework and applied it to the transfer of social health insurance. Third, the paper explains the radical change from the user fee policy to the social health insurance model. This essay uses time series analysis and comparative analysis to assess the impact of the social health insurance on the under-five mortality ratio, maternal mortality ratio and out-of-pocket expenditure. The assessment results show that the social health insurance scheme has a positive impact on under-five mortality, maternal mortality and out-of-pocket payment compared to Nigeria without social health insurance for the poor and other vulnerable groups. The paper concludes that policy transfer alone cannot be a single variable to explain radical health policy change, but when combined with other complementary perspectives, an empirically grounded account of policy change can be developed.Item Health Inequalities and Social Determinants of Indigenous Peoples’ Health in Australia, Canada, and the United States(Sumy State University, 2022) Awojobi, O.N.The author of the paper investigates the issue of Indigenous health inequalities. The main purpose of the research is to assess the causes of health inequalities among Indigenous people and policy options to reduce the health gaps. Systematization of the literary sources shows that there are health disparities between Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people and approaches for solving the problem come in different forms. The methodological basis of this study is a comparative analysis that used secondary data to capture health inequalities among the Indigenous populations in Australia, Canada, and the United States. These countries have adopted different policy options to reduce these inequalities. The paper presents the results of a comparative analysis that contributes to knowledge by articulating what is not known about Indigenous health inequalities and social determinants of health and policy response. The study contributes to understanding by articulating what is not known about Indigenous health inequalities and social determinants of health and policy response. Aside from the study being useful to policymakers, politicians, development experts and the academic environments, the study provides the opportunity to assess some of the policy interventions. When necessary, it provides ample opportunity if there is a need to reform the social and health policies meant to reduce health inequalities among Indigenous populations. The author found that both grey and academic studies have examined policy options and governance meant to reduce health inequalities among Indigenous people in Australia, Canada, and the U.S. However, there is a lack of quality studies that have evaluated these policy options, limiting the strength to determine achievement associated with such policy options and governance. Further, there is limited information on whether these policy options are suitable for the Indigenous population to enhance their health status. With these limitations, future studies need to assess the effectiveness of these policy options and determine if the policy options are culturally suitable to reduce Indigenous people’s health inequalities.Item Social Health Insurance in Africa: Lesson from Ghana(Sumy State University, 2021) Awojobi, O.N.This paper discusses social health insurance, healthcare utilization, financial protection and quality of care. The primary purpose of the research is to provide an overview of evidence from up-to-date studies about the effects of Ghana’s Social Health Insurance Scheme on improving access to healthcare, reducing financial hardship, and providing quality care for the insured.