Socio-economic and regional inequality in health - online

Economists (and social scientists more broadly) are increasingly focusing on the measurement and causes of inequality in health. This reflects the concern that health inequality reflects social injustices, and it is also in response to the trend away from a narrow focus on income inequality to broader inequality in wellbeing analysis.

This three-day online course aims to postgraduate researchers and analysts interested in quantitative analysis of inequity and (socio-economic and regional) inequality in health and health care. This consists of lectures and practical sessions on measurement and interpretation of inequity and inequality in health and health care. Specifically, this course provides a gentle introduction to the concept of inequity, socio-economic inequality, and inequality of opportunity in health, i.e., the “egalitarian” framework that does not necessarily indicate equality of the distribution of outcomes per se but emphasises the role of individual responsibility in defining a “fair” distribution of health in the society.

Recent advances in the survey measurement of health, in the context of large-scale social science datasets, allow us to access and collect physical measurements and markers derived from biological samples, in addition to self-reported health assessments. Measurement error in self-reported health data (as well as potential measurement errors in “more objectively” measured nurse-collected indicators in social science surveys) may significantly affect and contaminate the measurement of socio-economic inequality in health research when relying on these health measures. We will draw conclusions on the potential implications of measurement error in self-reported and measured health indicators for research in inequalities in health. Additional sessions will also take place on specific topics in health inequalities such as: a) the social and economic factors which may drive the observed regional inequalities in health within and between countries with the presentation of international evidence and practical sessions, and b) the role of reforms in shaping socio-economic inequality in health and healthcare.

We will also provide a good set of practical sessions and illustrative examples on the measurement of inequality in health using subjective and more objectively measured health indicators.

The course covers:

•  A gentle introduction to inequity and socio-economic (and regional) inequality in health and health care
• A number of approaches (employed by economists, social scientists and bio-social researchers) on the measurement of socio-economic inequality in health and healthcare
• The concept of inequality of opportunity in health
• Measurement of inequality and inequality of opportunity in health
• Measurement error in self-reported (and measured) health data in social science surveys and its potential implications for the socio-economic inequality in health research.
• The social and economic factors which may drive the observed regional inequalities in health within and between countries.
• The role of reforms on shaping socio-economic inequality in health and healthcare.
• Practical sessions and illustrative examples on the measurement of health inequality, measurement error in health outcomes and the potential implications for existing research in health inequality. 

By the end of the course participants will:

• be able to understand several approaches (employed by economists, social scientists and bio-social researchers) on the measurement of inequity and socio-economic inequality in health and healthcare
• be comfortable in computing health inequality measures using Stata
• understand the concept of inequality of opportunity in health and its measurement via practical sessions in Stata
• have the theoretical and practical knowledge to undertake basic research into health inequalities.
• be familiar with measurement error in health data available at social science surveys and its potential implications for existing research in socio-economic health inequality. 

This course is aimed at Postgraduate researchers and analysts interested in the measurement of socio-economic inequality in health and health care, including (but not limited to): Academics, Government Researchers, Third sector organisations and (Health) Consultancy analysts. Participants will need intermediate knowledge of Stata.

Course Description

Event Programme (Online; three days)

Day 1

9:00-10:30 Theoretical and practical considerations on inequity and socio-economic inequality in health   

10:30-10:45 (Virtual) coffee break (Q&A session)

10:45-12:00 Inequality of opportunity in health (IOp)

12:00-13:30 Advanced topics in inequity and inequality of opportunity (IOp) in health [including (supervised) machine learning algorithms/techniques]

13:30-14:30 Lunch 

14:30-15:45 Practical sessions using Stata and illustrative examples   

Day 2

9:00-10:30 Measurement error in self-reported health measures used in social science datasets

10:30-10:45 (Virtual) coffee break (Q&A session)

10:45-12:00 Measurement error in “more objectively” measured health indicators (for example, nurse collected anthropometrics)

12:00-13:30 Potential implications of the measurement error in health in existing research in socio-economic inequality in health (and beyond)

13:30-14:30 Lunch 

14:30-15:45 Practical sessions using Stata and illustrative examples   

Day 3 

9:00-10:30 The social and economic factors that drive the observed regional inequalities in health within and between countries

10:30-10:45 (Virtual) coffee break (Q&A session)

10:45-12:00 Advanced topics in regional inequalities in health and health care

12:00-13:30 The role of social and economic reforms in shaping socio-economic inequality in health

13:30-14:30 Lunch

14:30-15:45 Practical sessions using Stata and illustrative examples