Health Policy

• 3 Factors influencing Health Policy

  Evidence in health policy uses the sciences of:

  • Epidemiology - measure population health needs
  • Economics - determine what interventions are effective and efficient

  Context in which health policy occurs:

  • Structural factors - economic, demography,  technology
  • Sociocultural factors - societal values, gender roles, religious beliefs

  Power

  • interest groups (commercial organisations, pressure groups and individuals) who can use their influence or resources to determine what health policies get made and implemented – and who can block new health policies
• The Planning Cycle

  Steps:

  1. assess the burden of a disease or health problem
  2. identify the causes that can be addressed
  3. measure the effectiveness of proposed interventions (policy choices)
  4. determine their efficiency(see health economics lecture)
  5. implement interventions  (policy actions)
  6. monitor and evaluate
  7. measure progress in controlling or reducing disease