It is important to note that healthcare policies play a key role in determining the effectiveness of the healthcare system in general. Developing and adjusting such policies is a crucial task, which is affected by a wide range of factors. These influences can be categorized into three major groups, which are economic, social, and political forces. The given analysis will primarily focus on these three sets and how they shape the healthcare policies.
Firstly, in the case of political factors, politics and its dynamic directly and systematically impact the healthcare policies. Since various nations have a wide range of political systems and regimes, such as autocratic, totalitarian, or democratic, it is stated that the latter is “positively associated with population health,” which means that healthcare policies under such factors are shaped to be more effective (Barnish et al., 2018, p. 1). In other words, the overall political framework is of paramount importance for ensuring the general functionality and usefulness of the policies. It is also stated that “left-of-centre democratic political tradition” political perspectives lead to the betterment of population-wide health metrics (Barnish et al., 2018, p. 1). Therefore, within a democratic system, progressive forces are critical in enhancing and improving the effectiveness of healthcare policies rather than conservative ideas.
Secondly, in the case of social factors, one should be aware that healthcare policies are in direct relationship with these influences. It is stated that such forces are manifested in social determinants of health, which can include social risks, such as food insecurity, substandard housing, and poverty (Gottlieb et al., 2019). For example, in the United States, where the healthcare system is mostly run by the private sector and corporate entities, individuals with limited resources might be unable to access it, which is why the healthcare policies need to introduce aid for the poor through programs, such as Medicaid (Gottlieb et al., 2019). In other words, the emphasis is put on ensuring that the groups who cannot access healthcare due to low income have an opportunity to acquire in the form of governmental support.
Thirdly, in the case of economic factors, they shape healthcare policies on the basis of resource availability. The research indicates that the impactful aspect of the economy of a nation became the most prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, where a nation’s healthcare policies are dictated by resources (Buja et al., 2020). In other words, lockdown and mass quarantines reduce the overall economic output of the target location, and thus, such decisions are made through a compromise and reliance on the resources in reserves. If a nation or state has no resources to support the lengthy restrictive measures, the policies can no longer be structured against economic outputs. An economically disadvantaged country cannot impose lockdowns if it has no reserves to provide aid and sustenance during the period of impaired economic activity, which means that healthcare policies are directly tied and shaped by economic influences.
In conclusion, political, social, and economic forces directly shape healthcare policies. Political influences are manifested in a nation’s or state’s political system, where democratic and leftist perspectives lead to the most positive changes for the population’s health. Social influences also shape healthcare policies through issues, such as poverty, where low-income groups require governmental aid through policies and programs. Economic influences shape healthcare policies through resource availability factors, where a country or state’s healthcare policy decisions are made on the basis of reserves.
References
Barnish, M., Tørnes, M., & Nelson-Horne, B. (2018). How much evidence is there that political factors are related to population health outcomes? An internationally comparative systematic review. BMJ Open, 8(10), 1-10. Web.
Buja, A., Paganini, M., Cocchio, S., Scioni, M., Rebba, V., & Baldo, V. (2020). Demographic and socio-economic factors, and healthcare resource indicators associated with the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Northern Italy: An ecological study. PLoS ONE, 15(12), 1-13. Web.
Gottlieb, L., Fichtenberg, C., Alderwick, H., & Adler, N. (2019). Social determinants of health. Journal of Healthcare Management, 64(4), 243–257. Web.