OBJECTIVE: To describe infrastructure, human resources, and care approaches in psychosocial healthcare services. METHODS: Descriptive study including 21 psychossocial healthcare services for adults affiliated to the local health department in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, conducted between 2007 and 2008. Information about infrastructure of facilities, human resources available and patient care was collected using a standardized instrument. There were performed descriptive data analysis and chi-square test to test the association between care activities and service source and location. […]

The adequacy of the concept of willingness to pay within health economics evaluations is reviewed. A considerable number of researchers in the literature have pointed out multiple methodological issues involving willingness-to-pay estimates. On the other hand, the theoretical discussion about the aggregation of individual preferences within an aggregate demand remains open. However, over the last 20 years, willingness-to-pay estimates alongside health economics research significantly increased and in many cases they are one of the key factors for decision making on […]

This study evaluates the targets of the United Nations Declaration on HIV/AIDS Resource Targets, the attainment of which are premised on promoting three fronts: reduction of material and services costs, increased efficiency in access to and management of funds, and the channeling of new funds. Data were derived from studies of National Accounts of HIV/AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean and from the recent available literature on the global dynamics of HIV/AIDS resources. The economic concept of global public […]

It was analysed information relating to the health services offered in Cáceres county, Mato Grosso, Brazil, with a view to stimulating discussion with the organs which administer the system, with the intention of reformullating health plans and programs. By means of CENDES/OPS, data have been collected concerning the nosologic structure of the demandmet, distribution and utilization of human resources and the physical capacity of the municipal health services in the period from 1981 to 1984. It was observed that the […]

OBJECTIVE: The results of an evaluative longitudinal study, which identified the effects of health care decentralization on health financing in Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru are presented in this article. METHODS: The methodology had two main phases. In the first, secondary sources of data and documents were analyzed with the following variables: type of decentralization implemented, source of financing, funds for financing, providers, final use of resources, mechanisms for resource allocation. In the second phase, primary data were collected by a […]