 On what diseases and health conditions should new economic research on health and development focus?Jere Behrman, Julia A. Behrman and Nykia M. Perez Health Economics, 2009, vol. 18, issue S1, S109-S128 Abstract: Given the public goods nature of research, economic research on health in developing countries is likely to have the highest returns by focusing, inter alia, on diseases and health conditions that are relatively widespread and costly and that are relatively rapidly growing. This article first summarizes the time patterns in economic research on diseases and health in developing countries for 1990–2005. It then compares those time patterns with the distribution of disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) for diseases and health conditions in developing countries estimated for 2005 and for 2030. These comparisons suggest relatively overemphasis on HIV/AIDS and underemphasis on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This opens the possibility for individuals or organizations initiating, re‐evaluating, or increasing their economic research on health and development to make a significant contribution by focusing particularly on the analysis of behaviour and policy choices related to NCDs. Careful consideration must, of course, be given to other demands, but on the basis of these two criteria, potential contributions are likely to be greatest from research with such a focus. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Date: 2009 Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:18:y:2009:i:s1:p:s109-s128 Access Statistics for this article Health Economics is currently edited by Alan Maynard, John Hutton and Andrew Jones More articles in Health Economics from John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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