Socio-economic inequalities in health in Catalonia

In this paper we measure the degree of income related inequality in mental health as measured by the GHQ instrument and general health as measured by the EQOL-5D instrument for the Catalan population. We find that income is the main contributor to inequality, although the share of inequality in mental health that can be explained by income is much greater than the corresponding share of inequality in general health. We also find that the variation in demographic structure reduces income related inequality in mental health but increases income related inequality in general health. The regional variations in both instruments for health are striking, with the Barcelona districts faring relatively bad with respect to the rest of geographical areas and Lleida being the health region where, all else held equal, the population reports the greatest level of health. A big share of inequality in the two health measures, but specially mental health, is due to the favourable position in both health and income of those who enjoy an indefinite contract with respect to the rest of individuals. We also find that risky working conditions affect both health measures and are able to explain an important share of socio-economic inequality.Health inequalities, decomposition analysis, Spain

Regional differences in socio-economic health inequalities in Spain

This paper reports an analysis of income related health inequalities at the Autonomous Community level in Spain using the self assessed health measure in the 2001 edition of the Encuesta Nacional de Salud. We use recently developed methods in order to cardinalise and model self assessed health within a regression framework, decompose the sources of inequality and explain the observed differences across regions. We find that the regions with the highest levels of mean health tend to enjoy the lowest degrees of income related health inequality and vice-versa. The main feature characterizing regions where income related health inequality is low is the absence of a positive gradient between income and health. In turn, the regions where income related health inequality is greater are characterized by a strong and significant positive gradient between health and income. These results suggest that policies aimed at eliminating the gradient between health and income can potentially lead to greate r reductions in socio-economic health inequalities than policies aimed at redistributing income.Health inequalities, decomnposition analysis, Spain

The evolution of inequity in the access to health care in Spain: 1987-2001

This paper reports an analysis of the evolution of equity in access to health care in Spain over the period 1987-2001, a time span covering the development of the modern Spanish National Health System. Our measures of access are the probabilities of visiting a doctor, using emergency services and being hospitalised. For these three measures we obtain indices of horizontal inequity from microeconometric models of utilization that exploit the individual information in the Spanish National Health Surveys of 1987 and 2001. We find that by 2001 the system has improved in the sense that differences in income no longer lead to different access given the same level of need. However, the tenure of private health insurance leads to differences in access given the same level of need, and its contribution to inequity has increased over time, both because insurance is more concentrated among the rich and because the elasticity of utilization for the three services has increased too.Health care utilization; health insurance; equity; Spain

La perdiz en la literatura, el folklore y el arte: a proposito de una charla sobre Brunetto Latini.

Sin resume

Classical Tradition as Concept and Method: Visual Arts and Literature

Though my contribution to the 2012 Minerva colloquium on Classical Tradition follows the scheme proposed by the organizers (Classical Tradition as concept and method, as a tool in the scholarly writings of María Rosa Lida, and as the basic poetic principle in the literary works of both the Archpriest of Hita and the Count of Villamediana), it also includes some related materials which may be of particular interest for junior researchers. In spite of the unavoidable fragmentary character of this essay, its central subject gives coherence to the whole and justifies the addition of such disiecta membra.Aunque mi contribución al Coloquio sobre tradición clásica de la revista Minerva en 2012 se ciñe al esquema propuesto por sus organizadores (la tradición clásica como concepto y método, como herramienta en los escritos eruditos de María Rosa Lida y como principio poético fundamental en la obra literaria del Arcipreste de Hita y el Conde de Villamediana), he añadido algunos materiales que pueden resultar útiles para el investigador novel. A pesar del carácter inevitablemente fragmentario de este ensayo, el tema central aporta coherencia al conjunto y facilita la incorporación de toda esa diversidad de materiales

La armonía del entendimiento. Aristóteles y Kant

El mes de març d’aquest any moria el Dr. Ángel Álvarez Gómez, professor de la facultat de Filosofia de la Universitat de Santiago de Compostela. Astrolabio. Revista electrònica de Filosofia ha volgut oferir un sentit homenatge a la poderosa figura filosòfic que va representar. Confiem que la publicació d’un dels seus més recents articles, si bé de forma humil, hi contribueixi. Desitgem, alhora, agrair a la família del Dr. Ángel Álvarez, així com al consell editorial d’ Ágora, papeles de filosofía, l’ajuda facilitada per a la publicació del present article.The notions of self-consistency of the understanding and of conformity of the understanding with its objects characterize the models of thought developed by Kant and Aristotle, respectively. They thus permeate the concepts of reason, of science, and of the nature of Man and his place in Nature, that emerge in the development of these models, both of which have predominated during long periods of civilization. Both models, in distinct ways, combine acute consciousness of finitude with aspirations to transcendence, terms that define the task and the fate of philosophy. The impossibility of the self-consistency of the understanding leads Aristotle to the conformity of the understanding with its objects, but leads Kant to construct self-consistency as a subjective law. Today, Kant's response has created a profound need for reconciliation with Nature, a task that becomes increasingly urgent as the gulf widens between Man and his natural place among things and in society.Concordancia del entendimiento consigo mismo o identidad del entendimiento con sus objetos son expresiones que definen dos modelos pensamiento de tanta relevancia como los de Kant y Aristóteles. En el seguimiento de ambos modelos podemos contemplar la concepción de la razón, de la ciencia, del ser del hombre y de la relación del hombre con la naturaleza. Marcan, además, dichos modelos largas y significativas épocas de vigencia. Tanto en uno como en el otro, aunque con distinto tono, domina la conciencia de finitud trabada a la aspiración a la trascendencia. Finitud y trascendencia son los términos en los que se define la tarea y el destino de la filosofía. La imposibilidad de que el entendimiento concuerde consigo mismo deriva, en el caso de Aristóteles, hacia la concordancia con los objetos; en el de Kant, a construir la concordancia del entendimiento consigo mismo y a tomarla como una ley subjetiva. La opción kantiana se vuelve para nosotros hoy exigencia de reconciliación con la naturaleza. Es una tarea tanto más urgente cuanto más profunda es la sima que separa al hombre de su lugar natural en medio de las cosas y de los demás

Revaluación de Juan de Valdés Leal: claves de «In ictu oculi»

Resum disponible en anglès i castellàThe iconographic elements that compose this painting on the topic of vanitas convey a unitary and coherent message. In ictu oculi is in tune with the building where it is exhibited (the Hospital de la Caridad in Seville), its location (the area below the choir in the church of this institution), and the painting that accompanies it (Finis Gloriae Mundi by Valdés Leal). Besides the tradition of the danses macabres, its principal influences are Christian anti-intellectualism and Epicureanism (the latter reinforced with Stoicism), which are elements that also appear in the written works of Miguel Mañara, founder of the hospital and friend of Juan Valdés Leal. The anti-intellectual component (that is a rejection of knowledge and study) appears in medieval hagiography, the Kempis or Miguel de Molinos; the Epicurean-stoic element (that is a maritime adventure in search of riches) can be seen in Horace and those who are influenced by him directly or indirectly (among them Fray Luis de León and the captain Andrés Fernández de Andrada), as well as in Virgil and Seneca.De los elementos que componen el programa iconográfico de esta célebre vanitas cabe decir que transmiten un mensaje común y coherente. Ciertamente, In ictu oculi está en perfecta sintonía con el edificio que lo acoge (el Hospital de la Caridad de Sevilla), el espacio en que se exhibe (el sotocoro de la Iglesia de dicha institución religiosa) y el cuadro gemelo que lo acompaña (Finis Gloriae Mundi, del propio Valdés Leal). Junto a las Danzas macabras y su tradición, los referentes principales se hallan en el anti-intelectualismo y el epicureísmo cristianos (este último ingrediente reforzado con dosis adicionales de estoicismo) que coinciden en la obra escrita de Miguel Mañara, fundador del Hospital y amigo personal de Juan de Valdés Leal. Si lo primero, el rechazo de la sabiduría y el estudio, nos lleva de la hagiografía y el Kempis hasta Miguel de Molinos, el de la aventura marítima en pos de riquezas está en Horacio y cuantos, directa o indirectamente, beben de él (caso éste de Fray Luis de León y del capitán Andrés Fernández de Andrada), aunque también lo tenemos en Virgilio y Séneca

La tradición clásica como concepto y método: artes visuales y literatura

Aunque mi contribución al Coloquio sobre tradición clásica de la revista Minerva en 2012 se ciñe al esquema propuesto por sus organizadores (la tradición clásica como concepto y método, como herramienta en los escritos eruditos de María Rosa Lida y como principio poético fundamental en la obra literaria del Arcipreste de Hita y el Conde de Villamediana), he añadido algunos materiales que pueden resultar útiles para el investigador novel. A pesar del carácter inevitablemente fragmentario de este ensayo, el tema central aporta coherencia al conjunto y facilita la incorporación de toda esa diversidad de materiales