Economic Tools in Public Health (Term Paper Sample)

Understanding Есоnоmiс Тооls in Рubliс Неаlth
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In order to encourage healthy practices, the governments implements fiscal policies (Nugent and Knaul, 2006). The government uses economic tools such as taxes and price subsidies to provide several health services for free or at a subsidized rate. Price subsidies and commodity taxation can reduce expenditures on public health programs. The government uses commodity subsidies and taxation to promote healthy practices. For instance, subsidies on condoms, insecticides, medications, treated mosquito nets (Nugent and Knaul, 2006). These subsidies will have a positive effect on health and thus reduce expenditures on health programs and initiatives. Many countries impose high taxes on commodities such as tobacco and alcohol which results to reduced consumption. This eliminates the health consequences of diseases such as, lung cancer and liver cirrhosis. There is a significant reduction in expenditures on public health programs (Hardaker, 1997).
Health professionals need to apply different economic tools in order to determine cost-effectiveness of health intervention programs (Honeycutt, 2006). Health professionals determine cost-effectiveness by calculating the monetary value of the health initiatives to the society, community providers, and government funding agencies. Cost-effectiveness of health program is determined in terms of health outcomes. For instance, polio immunization program might measure effectiveness by determining the number of children immunized, or cases of Poliomyelitis prevented (Stone, 2014).
Screening and surveillance involves systematic collection, evaluation and interpretation of data to help prevent diseases and injuries. Lack of trained employees to provide standard surveillance information and convey the results can prevent effective disease surveillance in developing countries. Another factor is the lack of resources to maintain the health system, laboratory equipments, and training. Most health professionals in various countries fail to regularly review collected data to ensure validity.