79077 - Health Economics and Policy in Low and Middle Income Countries

Academic Year 2020/2021

  • Docente: Daniela Iorio
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: SECS-P/02
  • Language: English
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Economics and Economic Policy (cod. 8420)

    Also valid for Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Health Economics and Management (cod. 8880)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is provided with an overview of: A. how health economics theory and methods can be applied to understand the challenges facing health systems in low and middle income countries; B. the patterns and key issues of health systems and policies in developing countries, with an emphasis on critical assessment of current and future policy options. By the end of the course students are able to: 1. Appreciate the relevance of applying health economics methods in low and middle income countries; 2. Assess alternative methods of raising revenue to funding health systems in low and middle income countries; 3. Assess equity of access to health services and how health system can identify and respond to health inequities; 4. Assess policy options to improve health systems performance in low and middle income countries; 5. Adopt a systematic view on health and health systems in developing countries, and develop independent thinking on future perspective of health sector reforms.

Course contents

  • The outlook of LMICs and overview of their health systems. Assessing the performance of health systems in LMICs. Identify key areas of debate that remain unresolved.
  • The relationship between health and development: How much does disease depress development in human capital and income around the world? Effects of childhood health on adult income. Effect of adult health on adult productivity. Reverse causality. Macroeconomic implications.
  • Health behavior and demand of health in LMICs. Health disparities and policy interventions.
  • Access to Health Care in LMICs: Supply side. The role of governments and budget allocations. International organizations. The quality of medical care as a function of competences and practices of providers. Policy interventions.
  • Parental Inputs, Parental Time, Transmission, and Children Health.

Readings/Bibliography

Slides and list of papers will be posted at the beginning of the course.

Assessment methods

Take home and presentation.

Teaching tools

Slides and STATA dofiles

Office hours

See the website of Daniela Iorio