Module description
What is the module about?
This module covers several important topics in the field of health economics. We cover a range of different issues, including pharmaceutical economics, the impact of the economic environment and uncertainty shocks on health, the impact of the political environment on health, pharmaceutical markets, the relationship between education and health and the impact of housing policies on health.
On completion of the course students should possess:
- A comprehensive understanding of the importance of health economics (Aim 1)
- Knowledge of the concepts of health economics, theirassumptionsand conclusions (Aim 2).
- An understanding of the peculiarities of healthcare markets (Aim 3)
- Knowledge of how healthcare markets work (Aim 4)
Who should do this module?
This 3rd-year module is not a pre-requisite for other modules. However, students who are interested in health economics, the impact of the economic environment and/or policies on health and how pharmaceutical markets work may be interested in this module. Students who wish to pursue post-graduate studies in health economics or health policy, or who wish to work for international organisations such as the World Health Organisation might find this module particularly helpful.
Assessment details
4000 word essay - 100%
Teaching pattern
2-hour weekly lecture
1-hour weekly tutorial
Suggested reading list
This module is based on journal articles. There is no core textbook.
Some of the key papers that we cover include the following:
- Besley, T., & Kudamatsu, M. (2006). Health and democracy. The American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, 96(2), 313-318.
- Van der Windt, P. and Vandoros, S. 2017. Democracy and Health. Evidence from within-country heterogeneity in the Congo. Social Science and Medicine 194: 10-16
- Franco, Á., Álvarez-Dardet, C., & Ruiz, M. T. (2004). Effect of democracy on health: ecological study. BMJ, 329(7480), 1421-1423.
- Johansen, D., Friis, K., Skovenborg, E. and Grønbæk, M., 2006. Food buying habits of people who buy wine or beer: cross sectional study. BMJ, 332(7540), pp.519-522.
- Ruhm, C.J., 2015. Recessions, healthy no more?. Journal of Health Economics, 42, pp.17-28.
- Ruhm, C.J., 2000. Are recessions good for your health?. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 115(2), pp.617-650.
- Caroli, E. and Godard, M., 2016. Does job insecurity deteriorate health?. Health Economics, 25(2), pp.131-147.
- Burgard, S.A., Brand, J.E. and House, J.S., 2009. Perceived job insecurity and worker health in the United States. Social Science & Medicine, 69(5), pp.777-785.
- Bünnings, C., Kleibrink, J. and Weßling, J., 2016. Fear of Unemployment and its Effect on the Mental Health of Spouses. Health Economics, 26(1), pp.104-117.
- Ferrie, J. E., Shipley, M. J., Marmot, M. G., Stansfeld, S., & Smith, G. D. (1998a). The health effects of major organisational change and job insecurity. Social Science & Medicine, 46(2), 243-254.
- Ferrie, J.E., Shipley, M.J., Marmot, M.G., Stansfeld, S. and Smith, G.D., 1995. Health effects of anticipation of job change and non-employment: longitudinal data from the Whitehall II study. BMJ, 311(7015), pp.1264-1269.
- Berndt, E.R. and Aitken, M.L., 2010. Brand Loyalty, Generic Entry and Price Competition in Pharmaceuticals in the Quarter Century After the 1984 Waxman-Hatch Legislation (No. w16431). National Bureau of Economic Research.
- Frank, R.G. and Salkever, D.S., 1997. Generic entry and the pricing of pharmaceuticals. Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 6(1), pp.75-90.
- Vandoros, S., 2014. Therapeutic substitution post‐patent expiry: the cases of ace inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors. Health Economics, 23(5), pp.621-630.
- Valletti, T.M. and Szymanski, S., 2006. Parallel trade, international exhaustion and intellectual property rights: a welfare analysis. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 54(4), pp.499-526.
- Berndt, E.R., Nass, D., Kleinrock, M. and Aitken, M., 2015. Decline in economic returns from new drugs raises questions about sustaining innovations. Health Affairs, 34(2), pp.245-252.
- Fauth, R.C. and Brooks-Gunn, J., 2008. Are some neighborhoods better for child health than others. Chapter 12 in Making Americans healthier: Social and economic policy as health policy, pp.334-376.