Comparing Health Systems | Academic Papers Help
- We are often interested to see how our national experiences of health and health care compare on an international scale. These comparisons create a broader perspective for researchers, policy makers and the general public. Being aware of the successes and setbacks of other countries may inform how new policies, health interventions or preventative measures are developed and implemented in ones own country. International health comparisons can help making valid comparisons of health across different countries however it is important to make sure that what is being compared is able to be compared.
- Both the use and interpretation of international comparisons need to be considered carefully. If the data and methods that underlie these comparisons are not assessed, the results could be misinterpreted. There are methodological issues to consider in assessing data availability and quality, and in deciding which countries to compare. Decisions about the data used and the countries selected should be documented with adequate rationale to ensure the limitations and assumptions are clear and duly considered. These decisions can influence the differences observed between countries and the conclusions made. These are all considerations that you will need to make when you undertake this assignment.
- ?Checklist for international comparisons of health related data? Consider these questions when presenting or interpreting an international comparison of health-related data. ?Data quality
- Consistencyare the data defined consistently across countries?
- Methodologydo all countries use the same method to collect the data?
- Coveragedo the data cover similar parts of the population?
- Time perioddo the data refer to the same time period?
- Choice of countries
- Comparabilityare countries sufficiently similar to support comparison?
- Presentation and interpretation
- Presentationare the data presented appropriately?
- Explanationis the variation between countries adequately explained? ?Underlying differentialsare differences within countries considered?? Contextcan the data be used outside of an international comparison?
- THE TASK ?You are to research and analyze health care performance data in Australia and Saudi Arabia and write an essayof 3000 words comparing the following five (5) areas for each country. ?Be careful to pick the other country that is comparable and has the quality of data required to complete the comparison.
- ?The areas for comparison are listed below:
- Funding System (including health insurance systems)
- Governance System
- Selected Population Health Indicators
- Maternal Mortality Rate
- Infant Mortality Rate
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Health Status
- Low birth weight
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- Cancer
- Health System Performance
- % GDP Spent on Health
- Define each of the following measures and provide the results and commentary for comparison that the countries use to demonstrate that health care is:
- Acceptable
- Appropriate
- Effective
- Efficient
- Safe
- Where no data is available on individual measure you must indicate this clearly but be sure that you carefully research to make sure that this is in fact the case.?IMPORTANT: You should also make comment on each of the areas of comparison thus interpreting the results.
- ??Marking Criteria?The assignments will be assessed against the following criteria:
| No. | Criterion | Marks |
| 1 | Intellectural Coherence | |
| Addresses the assignment question | 30 | |
| Logical flow of ideas | 10 | |
| Conclusions supported by evidence and argument | 10 | |
| 2 | The intelligibility of presentations and contributions | |
| Presentation is clear and concise | 5 | |
| Accurate referencing. | 5 | |
| Evidence of adequate/critical reading. | 10 | |
| 3 | Demonstrated understanding and application of the evidence sourced | |
| Use of evidence to support arguments | 10 | |
| Use of course materials and readings to support argument | 10 | |
| Use of literature and evidence through own research | 10 |
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