'Inclusive' health systems increase healthy life expectancy

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Public Health Policy
• Societal Welfare Analysis

Background:

• Societal welfare is often quantified using metrics like healthy life expectancy (HLE).
• Understanding the determinants of HLE is crucial for effective public health policy.
• The structure and inclusivity of healthcare systems may significantly influence population health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between inclusive health systems and societal welfare, using healthy life expectancy (HLE) as a proxy.
• To determine how specific characteristics of healthcare systems, such as public expenditure and preventive care, correlate with HLE.
• To assess the impact of system extractiveness, exemplified by physician market power, on HLE.

Main Methods:

• Utilized publicly available data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• Analyzed the association between HLE at age 65 (HLE_65) and key variables representing healthcare system inclusivity and extractiveness.
• Employed regression analysis to explore these relationships.

Main Results:

• HLE_65 demonstrated a positive association with greater inclusivity in healthcare systems.
• Increased public healthcare expenditure and higher spending on preventive care were linked to improved HLE_65.
• Conversely, HLE_65 was inversely related to system extractiveness, indicated by physician market power and a higher proportion of specialists.

Conclusions:

• Strengthening inclusive health system institutions positively impacts collective welfare and social cohesion.
• Policies emphasizing prevention, financial protection, and primary care are recommended for enhancing societal welfare.
• These policy implications are particularly relevant for improving health outcomes in rural, remote, and less developed regions.