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Effects of health care decentralization in Spain from a citizens’ perspective

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  • José-Ignacio Antón
  • Rafael Muñoz de Bustillo
  • Enrique Fernández Macías
  • Jesús Rivera

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze the impact of the decentralization of the public national health system in Spain on citizens’ satisfaction with different dimensions of primary and hospital care. Using micro-data from the Health Barometer 1996–2009 and taking advantage of the exogeneity of the different pace of decentralization across Spain using a difference-in-differences strategy, we find that, in general, decentralization has not improved citizens’ satisfaction with different features of the health services. In our base model, we find that there are even some small negative effects on a subset of variables. Sensitivity analysis confirms that there is no empirical evidence for supporting that decentralization has had a positive impact on citizens’ satisfaction with health care. We outline several possible reasons for this. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Suggested Citation

  • José-Ignacio Antón & Rafael Muñoz de Bustillo & Enrique Fernández Macías & Jesús Rivera, 2014. "Effects of health care decentralization in Spain from a citizens’ perspective," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(4), pages 411-431, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujhec:v:15:y:2014:i:4:p:411-431
    DOI: 10.1007/s10198-013-0485-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Ryota Nakatani & Qianqian Zhang & Isaura Garcia Valdes, 2022. "Fiscal Decentralization Improves Social Outcomes When Countries Have Good Governance," IMF Working Papers 2022/111, International Monetary Fund.
    2. Leonardo E. Letelier-S & José L. Sáez-Lozano, 2020. "Expenditure Decentralization: Does It Make Us Happier? An Empirical Analysis Using a Panel of Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Jiménez-Rubio, Dolores & García-Gómez, Pilar, 2017. "Decentralization of health care systems and health outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 69-81.
    4. Cinzia Di Novi & Massimiliano Piacenza & Silvana Robone & Gilberto Turati, 2015. "How does fiscal decentralization affect within-regional disparities in well-being? Evidence from health inequalities in Italy," Working Papers 2015:21, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    5. García-Corchero, Juan David & Jiménez-Rubio, Dolores, 2022. "How do policy levers shape the quality of a national health system?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 203-221.
    6. Ryota Nakatani & Qianqian Zhang & Isaura Garcia Valdes, 2024. "Health Expenditure Decentralization and Health Outcomes: The Importance of Governance," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 54(1), pages 59-87.
    7. Mauro, Marianna & Maresso, Anna & Guglielmo, Annamaria, 2017. "Health decentralization at a dead-end: towards new recovery plans for Italian hospitals," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 74066, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Health care; Decentralization; Spain; Citizens’ satisfaction; H51; H75; I11;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare

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