State downsizing as a determinant of infant mortality and achievement of Millennium Development Goal 4.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the worldwide effect of state downsizing policies on achievement of U.N. Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4) on infant mortality rates. In an ecological retrospective cohort study of 161 countries, from 1978 to 2002, the authors analyzed changes in government consumption (GC) as determining exposure to achievement of MDG4. Descriptive methods and a multiple logistic regression were applied to adjust for changes in gross domestic product, level of democracy, and income inequality. Excess infant mortality in the exposed countries, attributable to reductions in GC, was estimated. Fifty countries were found to have reduced GC, and 111 had increased GC. The gap in infant mortality rate between these groups of countries doubled in the study period. Non-achievement of MDG4 was associated with reductions in GC and increases in income inequality. The excess infant mortality attributable to GC reductions in the exposed countries from 1990 to 2002 was 4,473,348 deaths. The probability of achieving MDG4 seems to be seriously compromised for many countries because of reduced public sector expenditure during the last 25 years of the 20th century, in response to World Bank/International Monetary Fund Washington Consensus policies. This seeming contradiction between the goals of different U.N. branches may be undermining achievement of MDG4 and should be taken into account when developing future global governance policy.

Influencias y hegemonías en la orientación de la investigación de las reformas de salud / Influences and hegemonies in health reform research

Analizamos la evolución de las publicaciones, incluidas en MEDLINE, LILACS y Sociological Abstracts, sobre las Reformas de Salud en el mundo y las influencias que determinan su orientación y distribución en el período de 1990-2004. En total se seleccionaron 8.729 publicaciones. Los principios de "Sostenibilidad" y "Calidad y Efectividad" son los más atendidos, existiendo distintos patrones de atención, dependiendo de regiones y países. De 199 países, el 61 por ciento tiene referencia sobre sus procesos de reforma, siendo Estados Unidos y Gran Bretaña los que agrupan la mayor cantidad. Se observó que existen fuertes influencias para el estudio de las Reformas de Salud, provenientes de los patrones Británico y Norteamericano de atención a los Principios de Reforma. Esto puede estar limitando la visibilidad científica de cuestiones como la equidad, participación y eficiencia.

The authors analyze the evolution in publications indexed in MEDLINE, LILACS, and Sociological Abstracts concerning health reforms around the world and the determinants of their orientation and distribution from 1990 to 2004. A total of 8,729 publications were selected. The principles of "sustainability" and "quality and effectiveness" were dealt with most frequently, with different patterns of attention, depending on the regions and countries. Of 199 countries, 61 percent included references as to their health reform processes, with the largest numbers in the United States and the Great Britain. The British and U.S. standards for attention to health reform principles displayed strong influences on the study of health reforms elsewhere. This may limit the scientific visibility of issues like equity, participation, and efficiency.

[Influences and hegemonies in health reform research]. / Influencias y hegemonías en la orientación de la investigación de las reformas de salud.

The authors analyze the evolution in publications indexed in MEDLINE, LILACS, and Sociological Abstracts concerning health reforms around the world and the determinants of their orientation and distribution from 1990 to 2004. A total of 8,729 publications were selected. The principles of "sustainability" and "quality and effectiveness" were dealt with most frequently, with different patterns of attention, depending on the regions and countries. Of 199 countries, 61% included references as to their health reform processes, with the largest numbers in the United States and the Great Britain. The British and U.S. standards for attention to health reform principles displayed strong influences on the study of health reforms elsewhere. This may limit the scientific visibility of issues like equity, participation, and efficiency.