Economics Dimensions of Health Inequities: The Role of Implementation Research

Abstract

Health inequities are well-documented, but their economic dimensions have received less attention. In this report, we describe four economic dimensions of health inequi­ties in the United States. First, we describe an economic conceptual framework that connects poverty and health inequities at both individual and population levels and conveys the concept of reverse causality, where poverty worsens health inequi­ties and health inequities worsen poverty. This framework can help us understand the key elements of health inequity and its drivers. Second, we describe economic measurements used for quantifying the economic burden of health inequalities and summarize the empirical findings from studies. Third, we review the evidence on the return-on-investment of economic interventions that are aimed at reducing health inequities. Finally, we highlight the importance of cross disciplinary perspec­tives from economics and implementation research in effectively delivering interven­tions that can mitigate health inequities. Ethn Dis.2019;29(Suppl 1):103-112; doi:10.18865/ed.29.S1.103.