Evolution and patterns of global health financing 1995-2014 : development assistance for health, and government, prepaid private, and out-of-pocket health spending in 184 countries

Background An adequate amount of prepaid resources for health is important to ensure access to health services and for the pursuit of universal health coverage. Previous studies on global health financing have described the relationship between economic development and health financing. In this study, we further explore global health financing trends and examine how the sources of funds used, types of services purchased, and development assistance for health disbursed change with economic development. We also identify countries that deviate from the trends. Methods We estimated national health spending by type of care and by source, including development assistance for health, based on a diverse set of data including programme reports, budget data, national estimates, and 964 National Health Accounts. These data represent health spending for 184 countries from 1995 through 2014. We converted these data into a common inflation-adjusted and purchasing power-adjusted currency, and used non-linear regression methods to model the relationship between health financing, time, and economic development. Findings Between 1995 and 2014, economic development was positively associated with total health spending and a shift away from a reliance on development assistance and out-of-pocket (OOP) towards government spending. The largest absolute increase in spending was in high-income countries, which increased to purchasing power-adjusted $5221 per capita based on an annual growth rate of 3.0$914 and $267 per capita in 2014, respectively. Spending in low-income countries grew nearly as fast, at 4.6$51 to $120 per capita. In 2014, 59.2$37.6 billion in 2016. Nonetheless, there is a great deal of variation revolving around these averages. 29 countries spend at least 50% more than expected per capita, based on their level of economic development alone, whereas 11 countries spend less than 50% their expected amount. Interpretation Health spending remains disparate, with low-income and lower-middle-income countries increasing spending in absolute terms the least, and relying heavily on OOP spending and development assistance. Moreover, tremendous variation shows that neither time nor economic development guarantee adequate prepaid health resources, which are vital for the pursuit of universal health coverage.Peer reviewe

FRP-HSC-steel composite columns: behavior under monotonic and cyclic axial compression

This paper presents the results of an experimental study that was undertaken to investigate the effects of key parameters on the compressive behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-concrete-steel composite columns. Performance parameters for the columns were investigated experimentally by testing 24 double-skin tubular columns (DSTCs), six concrete-filled FRP tubes (CFFTs), and two CFFTs with inner steel I-beams (I-CFFTs). The parameters examined included the loading patterns; concrete strength; diameter, thickness, and end condition of the inner steel tube in DSTCs, and influence of concrete-filling the inner steel tube. The results of the experimental study indicate that concrete-filling inner steel tubes of DSTCs results in an increase in the compressive strength and a slight decrease in the ultimate axial strain of concrete in DSTCs, compared to the values observed in companion specimens with hollow inner steel tubes. The new DSTC system developed in this study, which comprises dual-grade concretes, has been shown to exhibit superior performance compared to conventional normal-strength concrete (NSC) and high-strength concrete (HSC) DSTCs. The results also indicate that the ultimate axial stress and strain of concrete in filled DSTCs tend to increase with an increase in inner steel tube diameter. It was observed that increasing inner steel tube thickness leads to a slight increase in ultimate axial stress and strain of concrete in DSTCs. It was also observed that cyclically loaded NSC DSTCs developed similar strength and strain enhancement ratios with monotonically loaded NSC DSTCs. On the other hand, a slightly increase strength and strain enhancement ratios was observed on HSC DSTCs in the presence of load cycles. Finally, it was found that the concrete in filled DSTCs exhibit slightly larger ultimate axial stress compared to those of the concretes in companion CFFTs and I-CFFTs.Togay Ozbakkaloglu, Butje Alfonsius Louk Fangg

Future and potential spending on health 2015-40: development assistance for health, and government, prepaid private, and out-of-pocket health spending in 184 countries

Background: The amount of resources, particularly prepaid resources, available for health can affect access to health care and health outcomes. Although health spending tends to increase with economic development, tremendous variation exists among health financing systems. Estimates of future spending can be beneficial for policy makers and planners, and can identify financing gaps. In this study, we estimate future gross domestic product (GDP), all-sector government spending, and health spending disaggregated by source, and we compare expected future spending to potential future spending. Methods: We extracted GDP, government spending in 184 countries from 1980–2015, and health spend data from 1995–2014. We used a series of ensemble models to estimate future GDP, all-sector government spending, development assistance for health, and government, out-of-pocket, and prepaid private health spending through 2040. We used frontier analyses to identify patterns exhibited by the countries that dedicate the most funding to health, and used these frontiers to estimate potential health spending for each low-income or middle-income country. All estimates are inflation and purchasing power adjusted. Findings: We estimated that global spending on health will increase from US$9·21 trillion in 2014 to$24·24 trillion (uncertainty interval [UI] 20·47–29·72) in 2040. We expect per capita health spending to increase fastest in upper-middle-income countries, at 5·3% (UI 4·1–6·8) per year. This growth is driven by continued growth in GDP, government spending, and government health spending. Lower-middle income countries are expected to grow at 4·2% (3·8–4·9). High-income countries are expected to grow at 2·1% (UI 1·8–2·4) and low-income countries are expected to grow at 1·8% (1·0–2·8). Despite this growth, health spending per capita in low-income countries is expected to remain low, at $154 (UI 133–181) per capita in 2030 and$195 (157–258) per capita in 2040. Increases in national health spending to reach the level of the countries who spend the most on health, relative to their level of economic development, would mean $321 (157–258) per capita was available for health in 2040 in low-income countries. Interpretation: Health spending is associated with economic development but past trends and relationships suggest that spending will remain variable, and low in some low-resource settings. Policy change could lead to increased health spending, although for the poorest countries external support might remain essential