Article review: Decomposing socioeconomic differences in self-rated health and healthcare expenditure by chronic conditions and social determinants

Abstract

This article is recommended for public health, health policy, and health economics professionals, as well as for decision-makers who wish to support the reduction of health disparities not only through health care interventions but also through social and economic measures. It is also particularly useful for educational purposes, as it vividly illustrates, using the example of a single country, how chronic diseases and social determinants “share responsibility” for the observed inequalities. This article may be of particular importance to Hungarian professionals, as it clearly indicates that reducing health disparities requires not only health care interventions but also social and economic measures—areas in which our country has, unfortunately, fallen significantly behind. The article vividly illustrates how social determinants influence the onset of chronic diseases and health inequalities.