As issues of resource scarcity become more explicitly acknowledged in the health sector, public health practitioners are recognizing that economics can form a vital part of their professional toolkit. Economic analysis provides a way of thinking about problems in which the issues of resource scarcity, opportunity cost and broader social objectives such as efficiency and equity can be explicitly taken into account. However, while economics can certainly play an important role in policy and management, its application is often complicated.

This book discusses theoretical perspectives in health economics by developing an appreciation of how economic concepts and techniques can be applied in policy making and management in the health sector. The book examines:

• Demand analysis


• Markets and competition


• Regulation


• Contracts


• Equity in health care