Equity In Resource Allocation Research Articles

Equity of resources allocation in obstetric healthcare in Zhejiang Province

Objective To measure the equity of resources allocation in obstetric healthcare in Zhejiang Province, and provide evidence for decision making by healthcare departments of the government. Methods Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient were used to measure the equity of obstetric healthcare resources. Results The investigation found such allocation as equitable as measured by the layout of the number of live births, as the Gini coefficient of the distribution of obstetric doctors, nurses and beds was 0.1697,0.1971 and 0.1497 respectively by total birth, failing within the equitable range. However, when measured by geographic distribution, such coefficient were 0.2701, 0.3216 and 0.3341 respectively in cities, which were less equitable yet still within equitable range. Conclusions The government and health bureaus are recommended to scientifically predict the number of immigrants and rationally deploy healthcare resources according to the service radius of healthcare resources;moreover, more gynecologic doctors and nurses should be trained to improve the human resource structure in gynecologic departments. These effort can cater to the growing healthcare demands of the society resulting from a growing population of immigrants. Key words: Equity; Healthcare resource allocation; Deployment; Obstetric; Gini coefficient

They Play Like Girls: Gender Equity in NCAA Sports

Based on our review of several literatures—the general sociology literature, the sport sociology literature, and the gender literature—we find that there exists an important literature that demonstrates that great strides have been made in opportunities for participation for women at all stages of the athletic pipeline. However, there are few if any studies of gender equity in resource allocation in competitive intercollegiate sports. Framed through the lens provided by feminist theory, this paper analyzes data collected from the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) to examine the issue of gender equity in resource allocation in intercollegiate (NCAA) Division 1 sports. We find that there is significantly more gender equity in resource allocation in nonrevenue, gender neutral sports, particularly soccer, than in the high profile, revenue generating, masculinized sport of basketball. The use of this data as well as our analysis—which make "head to head" comparisons in resource allocations to men's and women's basketball and soccer—makes this paper unique. Theoretically we argue that the closer women get to encroaching on men's domain, specifically in basketball, the more gender differences are highlighted and gender boundaries are enforced. This paper makes a significant contribution and advancement in the sociological study of sport literature as well as in the gender studies literature.

Equity, governance and financing after health care reform: lessons from Mexico

To determine, from the perspective of providers, community leaders and users of health services, equity, governance and health financing outcomes of the Mexican health system reform.Cross-sectional study oriented towards the qualitative analysis of financing, governance and equity indicators for the uninsured population. Taking into account feasibility, as well as political and technical criteria, six Mexican states were selected as study populations and a qualitative research was conducted during 2004-2006. Two hundred and forty in-depth interviews were applied, in all selected states, to 60 decision-makers, including medical and administrative personnel; 60 service providers at health centres; 60 representatives of civil organizations, including municipal representatives and, finally, 60 members of health committees and users of services at second and first levels of care units. The analysis of interviews was performed using ATLAS-Ti software. An outcome mapping of health reform was developed. For political actors, Mexican health system reform has not modified dependence on the central level; ignorance about reform strategies and lack of participation in the search for financial resources to finance health systems were evidenced. Also, in all states under study, community leaders and users of services reported the need to improve an effective accountability system at both municipal and state levels. Health strategies for equity, governance and financing do not have adequate mechanisms to promote participation from all social actors. Improving this situation is a very important goal in the Mexican health democratization process, in the context of health care reform. There are relevant positive and negative effects of the reform on equity, governance and financing in health. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of lessons learned in Mexico and the usefulness of the main strengths and weaknesses, as relevant evidences for other middle-income countries which are designing, implementing and evaluating reform strategies in order to achieve equity in resource allocation, good levels of governance and a greater financial protection in health.

Equity in resource allocation for health: A comparative study of the Ashanti and Northern Regions of Ghana

Debate over the equitable allocation of financial resources in the health sector has focused overwhelmingly on allocation from national to regional levels. More equitable allocation of such resources within regions has been virtually ignored, creating a vacuum in knowledge regarding how resources are allocated intra-regionally and their potential influence on promoting health equity. In this paper, we report an empirical study examining progress towards equity in intra-regional resource allocation in the Ashanti and Northern regions of Ghana. Relative deprivation across the 31 districts of the two regions was measured as a proxy of health needs. The result was used to develop an equity-adjusted share index (EAS) applied as a yardstick against which progress towards equity was assessed. The study found a significant correlation between districts’ share of donor pooled funds (DPF) and the EAS in the Northern region for three of the 4 years investigated. In Ashanti region, a worsening trend in relation to equity in DPF allocation was discovered. The proportion of variance in the share of DPF that could be explained by the EAS reduced incrementally from 56% in 1999 to less than 1% in 2002. The study highlights the need for more emphasis on intra-regional equity in resource allocation in Ghana.

The need for equity in resource allocation in the Nigerian educational system: perspectives for technology education

This paper highlights the need for equity in resource allocation in the Nigerian educational system and its implication for technology education. It observes that the secondary education level is a very important stage in the educational system and as such resources required to make the system functional should be put in place and adequately too. It further posits that for technology education to be relevant in the 21st century this level of education must be given a new direction. Nigerian Journal of Technology and Education in Nigeria Vol. 8(2) 2003: 87-95

Resource allocation equity in northeastern Mexico

Currently, the population health needs are unlimited, but allocation of financial resources is not in accordance with these needs, probably due to the lack of specific information. In this work, we propose a new approach to allocate resources with equity as a tool for decision-making in planning. The grade of equity in resource allocation in decentralized management medical areas (DMMAs (AMGD, for its initials in Spanish)) was determined; these are limited geographical areas of a social security institution in three states of the northeastern region of Mexico. The areas with more health needs in the global index were DMMA no. 12 in Tamaulipas with a Z-score (ZS) of −5; area no. 3 in Coahuila with −4; and area no. 9 in Nuevo León, no. 16 and no. 17 in Tamaulipas with −2. Equity was measured according to the degree of concordance between the health needs index and the per capita health expenditure of each area: ( r = 0.19, P > 0.05). Low concordance was found between these variables in the studied medical areas.

Equity in resource allocation in the Irish health service: A policy Delphi study

Resource allocation in the Irish health service, based on historical allocations with incremental increases, is widely believed to be inequitable. Using a three-round policy Delphi survey, which seeks to explore both consensus and disagreement surrounding policy issues, the views of 52 senior health service personnel were sought in order to determine ways to improve equity in resource allocation. Panellists provided several reasons why the current method of resource allocation is inequitable and several suggestions for improving equity. The level of consensus on views was determined by calculating the percentage of ratings in each category based on a series of rating scales. The main suggestion centred around the development and implementation of a needs based resource allocation formula. Panellists reached a high consensus in favour of this but only reached a low consensus as to its feasibility. Potential obstacles identified included methodological difficulties, insufficient resources and resistance from potential losers. These findings highlight concerns about the lack of transparency in the resource allocation process and openness to the development of a more equitable needs based resource allocation model, a move which is becoming more common internationally. Feasibility concerns should not preclude an attempt to begin this process.

Decentralization and equity of resource allocation: evidence from Colombia and Chile.

To investigate the relation between decentralization and equity of resource allocation in Colombia and Chile. The "decision space" approach and analysis of expenditures and utilization rates were used to provide a comparative analysis of decentralization of the health systems of Colombia and Chile. Evidence from Colombia and Chile suggests that decentralization, under certain conditions and with some specific policy mechanisms, can improve equity of resource allocation. In these countries, equitable levels of per capita financial allocations at the municipal level were achieved through different forms of decentralization--the use of allocation formulae, adequate local funding choices and horizontal equity funds. Findings on equity of utilization of services were less consistent, but they did show that increased levels of funding were associated with increased utilization. This suggests that improved equity of funding over time might reduce inequities of service utilization. Decentralization can contribute to, or at least maintain, equitable allocation of health resources among municipalities of different incomes.

Re-educating Namibia: The Early Years of Radical Education Reform, 1990-1995

Following independence the Namibian government saw primary education reform as a principal means of investing in human capital to promote socioeconomic development. This paper analyzes the efforts made during the first five years of the reform program. While emphasis on structural change learner-centered education and universality provided strong foundations for a democratic educational system a difficult medium of instruction policy and insufficient attention to gender equity delayed a comprehensive transformation. This analysis calls for greater educator participation in implementing the pedagogical approach altering the language-of-instruction policy greater gender equity in resource allocation and greater attention to sex and AIDS education. (authors)

Severity variations within DRGs: measurement of hospital effects by use of data on significant secondary diagnoses and procedures.

The Diagnosis Related Group classification has provided an excellent basis for enhancing the equity of resource allocation between public acute hospitals. However, it underestimates the higher levels of severity and consequent costliness of referral hospitals. This paper describes a practical way of measuring within-DRG variations in severity, which can be used to increase the precision of casemix-based funding. It involves the regression of length of stay against the numbers of significant diagnoses and procedures, and bence the prediction of additional justified costs. An example is given of its application to data from South Australian public hospitals.

On the Relevance of John Rawls's Theory of Justice to Welfare Economics

Mainstream microeconomic theory makes some use of John Rawls's Theory of Justicein discussing welfare economics and social welfare functionals. While various elements of his approach are usually mentioned, his basic point is generally taken to be his difference principle (maximizing the welfare of the worst off individual) applied as a decision principle for evaluating the equity of resource allocation. To take the difference principle as the essence of Rawls's work is an error. The present paper reviews the basic argument of the Theory of Justice compares it with the use that economists make of it, and concludes that in a number of quite specific ways Rawls's ideas are misrepresented and misused by mainstream microeconomists.

Equity Considerations in Economic and Policy Analysis

There is little doubt that equity considerations play some role in human decision making. This can be seen through statements that we are all created equal, or that we have equal This can also be seen through some of the transfer mechanisms that societies are willing to put in place for the benefits of the poor or the malnourished. In spite of this evidence, the role of equity in resource allocation remains poorly understood. Most economic analyses tend to focus on efficiency issues and avoid addressing distribution issues. As argued by Sen (1987, 1992), as long as human behavior is affected by equity considerations, it seems that economics could be made more productive by paying greater attention to welfare distribution. At the center of equity is whether and how to distinguish between people in terms of their needs, their abilities, their contributions, and their individual rights. People being different, at least some of their differences seem to be relevant to the economic evaluation of equity issues. At this point, it remains somewhat unclear how to approach such issues. The current debate about equity has been profoundly influenced by Rawls's Theory of Justice. Rawls's theory is based on the concept of justice as fairness.1 It relies on a so-called original where individuals do not yet know their exact position in society. Rawls suggests that a society is just if its current members would find the original fair. Rawls's views have been influential, yet controversial. Part of the debate comes in part from some antagonism between equity, and rights (e.g., Nozick). And private property rights are often seen as contributing to inequalities of wealth in modern society. The objective of this paper is to explore equity issues, with a special focus on interactions between efficiency, equity, and the role of information in resource allocation. In the next

The economics of higher education and tests of equity criteria in Turkey

Unequal opportunities are a fact of life in most societies. Imbalances exist in each society under all conceivable economic environments. To alleviate these imbalances, most governments tend to interfere in the market. In this respect Turkey is no exception. Thus, the government established the Turkish Higher Education Council in 1982 with the hope of improving educational resource allocation. This paper investigates the private costs of public higher education in Turkey. It also tests whether a structural cost difference exists between the universities in the three biggest cities of Turkey and the rest of the country's fifteen Universities. Does the highly subsidized Turkish Higher Education ensure equity of resource allocation? The findings show that, among the factors contributing to higher education, the number of faculty members has the lowest price elasticity of demand. In the case of assessing whether there are structural cost differences between the universities in developed and underdeveloped regions the findings show that imbalances between the two regions still exist.

Regional Policy and Transport in the Federal Republic of Germany

In this paper the transport policy aspects of the regional policy presently being pursued in the Federal Republic of Germany is dealt with. The regional policy objectives of resource allocation equity and resource allocation efficiency form the starting point of a discussion outlining the basic relationships between the processes of ‘bridging space’ (that is, between the totality of all transport and communication processes) and the process of control of regional development. With such relationships can be associated classes of intervention measures affecting supply, adaptation, and conservation. The concept of differentiating transport policy problems according to regional policy problem areas is explained by means of examples taken from the field of passenger transport. In this context, reference is made principally to the results of recent empirical research directed by the author. It will be shown that changes in regional policy occurring within the overall process of structural change can lead to new concepts and strategies (‘rationalisation’ and ‘innovation’).