Effective coverage is a measure of health system performance that combines three aspects of health care service delivery into a single measure: need, use, and quality. In this technical note, the concept of effective coverage is explained, methodological issues are discussed and the implications...

This paper presents some of the background research that contributed to the discussions within the Inter-American Development Bank's policy and strategy regarding indigenous health issues. The paper's conceptual approach and good practice research helped focus the discussion on the importance of...

Efficiency and equity are priorities in the social policies of both industrial and developing countries. This study examines how different value judgments lead to different concepts of efficiency and equity and demonstrates that conceptual clarity can improve social services delivery.

Shielding the Poor presents a group of studies on social protection in the developing world from leading researchers. These studies address the issue of vulnerability of the poor to adverse shocks and propose policies to increase their protection and coping capacity. The studies emphasize the...

From Few to Many is the first comprehensive look at Colombia's 1993 health system reforms. It describes the implementation of universal health insurance, including a subsidized system for the poor, and examines the impact of this and other reforms during a time when Colombia experienced crushing...

This report represents the collaborative effort of three partners: the World Bank, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This book explores trends and differentials in women's health; examples of good practices in delivery and financing of...

The report explores the convergence of the health sector reform processes and the improvement of sexual and reproductive health in Latin America and the Caribbean. It includes the results of three sub-regional meetings, sponsored by the IDB and organized by the Population Council (LAC Regional...

This book uses case studies and cross-regional analyses to examine changes in basic health services, challenges for social health insurance, improvements in the equity and efficacy of health services, and changes in public and private sector roles in health care delivery in Latin America and...