Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers Creation-Date: 2011-11-04 Number: 11-155/3 Author-Name: Ellen van de Poel Author-Workplace-Name: Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam Author-Name: Eddy van Doorslaer Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus University Rotterdam Author-Name: Owen O'Donnell Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus University Rotterdam Title: Measurement of Inequity in Health Care with Heterogeneous Response of Use to Need Abstract: This discussion paper resulted in an article in the Journal of Health Economics. Volume 31, issue 4, pages 676-689.

We propose a method of measuring and decomposing inequity in health care utilisation that allows for heterogeneity in the use-need relationship. This makes explicit inequity that derives from unequal treatment response to variation in need, as well as that due to differential effects of non-need determinants. Under plausible conditions concerning heterogeneity in the use-need relationship and the distribution of need, existing methods that impose homogeneity will underestimate pro-rich inequity. This prediction is confirmed for four low-middle income Asian countries. Classification-JEL: D63, I14 Keywords: health care, equity, decomposition File-Url: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/11155.pdf File-Format: application/pdf File-Size: 510756 bytes Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20110155