Contents Introduction
Health inequities have been becoming a policy challenge whether they are within countries or between countries. This book overviews the development of international arguments on health inequities in health and medical care access since the 1980s and analyzes comparatively policy developments against them in the UK and the US. How are the disparities of medical care access associated with each country's systems? How is human health related to social disparities and what types of measures are effective against the disparities? By analyzing systems and polices in each country, this book provides issues and clues for policy formation in Japan.

[Related Literature] TANAKA Shigeru & NIKI Ryu (Eds.) International Comparison of Medical Service Reform (Keiso Shobo)

Contents (From “BOOK” Data Base)
Human health is firmly related to social disparities. What types of measures can be taken against health and medical disparities? By analyzing policy responses against these disparities in developed countries, this book seeks clues for policy formation in Japan.

MATSUDA Ryozo
MATSUDA Ryozo, born in 1964, is a professor at the College of Social Sciences of Ritsumeikan University. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Kyoto University in 1988 and obtained a doctoral degree (Medical Science) in 1999. After completing a master's course of the University of London in 2002 (Health Policy, Planning, and Financing), he has been studying health policies. From 2007 to 2008, he served as a visiting research fellow at LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science (these data were posted when the book was published).

Introductory Chapter　Social Disparities / Health / Medical Care

Chapter 1　 Health Disparities as a Policy Challenge
　Introduction
　Section 1　What are health disparities?
　Section 2　Mechanisms of Generating Health Disparities and Policy Formation

Chapter 2　Medical Disparities as a Policy Challenge
　Introduction
　Section 1　Concept of Equity in Medical Care Delivery
　Section 2　Medical Policies Aiming at Realization of Equity in Medical Care Access

Chapter 3　Health and Medical Disparities: Possible Policy Responses
　Introduction
　Section 1　Problems of Policy Formation on Health and Medical Disparities
　Section 2　Contents of Measures against Health and Medical Disparities

Chapter 4　Development of ‘Measures against Inequalities in Health’in England: Principle, Policy System and Governance Structure
　Introduction
　Section 1　Recognition and Practices on Inequalities of Health
　Section 2　Inequalities and ‘Equalities’ of Health as a Policy Challenge
　Section 3　Struggling with Inequalities of Health
　Conclusion

Chapter 5　Health Inequalities in Europe: Development of Research and Policies
　Introduction
　Section 1　Overview of Health Disparities in European Countries
　Section 2　Recent Policy Developments in the EU
　Conclusion

Chapter 6　Health Disparities in the US: Problems and Policy Development after 1990s
　Introduction
　Section 1　Problematization of and Policy Responses against ‘Health Disparities among Populations’ in the Federal Government
　Section 2　Problematization of Health Disparities and Policy Formation
　Conclusion

Chapter 7　Ensuring Equity in Medical Care Access in England: From Resource Allocation to Various Measures
　Introduction
　Section 1　The NHS and Equity in Medical Care Access
　Section 2　Reform of the NHS and Policy Developments for Equities in Access
　Section 3　Equities in Access

Chapter 8　Medical Disparities in the US
　Introduction
　Section 1　Overview of Public Medical Insurance System
　Section 2　Medical Disparities Faced by the Uninsured
　Section 3　Policy Responses against Medical Disparities
　Conclusion

Final Chapter　Toward Equity in Health and Medical Care
　Introduction
　Section 1　Issues toward Forming Measures against Health Disparities
　Section 2　Issues toward Forming Measures against Medical Disparities
　Conclusion

Postface
References
Item Index
Person's Name Index