TY - JOUR

T1 - Cross country comparisons of technical efficiency of health production: a demonstration of pitfalls.

AU - Spinks, Jean

AU - Hollingsworth, Bruce

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - It has been proposed that cross-country comparisons of the technical efficiency of health production, estimated using data envelopment analysis (DEA), have useful applications for policy makers. In theory such an analysis utilizes measures of the socioeconomic determinants of health relevant to all social policy, not just health policy. Using OECD and WHO data, this article critically analyses a number of outstanding theoretical questions regarding the use of DEA in this setting. It concludes that until such questions are addressed, the resultant implications for policy will be based on misleading information.

AB - It has been proposed that cross-country comparisons of the technical efficiency of health production, estimated using data envelopment analysis (DEA), have useful applications for policy makers. In theory such an analysis utilizes measures of the socioeconomic determinants of health relevant to all social policy, not just health policy. Using OECD and WHO data, this article critically analyses a number of outstanding theoretical questions regarding the use of DEA in this setting. It concludes that until such questions are addressed, the resultant implications for policy will be based on misleading information.

U2 - 10.1080/00036840701604354

DO - 10.1080/00036840701604354

M3 - Journal article

VL - 41

SP - 417

EP - 427

JO - Applied Economics

JF - Applied Economics

SN - 0003-6846

IS - 4

ER -