Britain falls from top spot in Economist Impact's latest Health Inclusivity Index

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Nov 20, 2023, 06:36 ET

The second phase of the index, supported by Haleon, assesses governments' efforts across 40 countries to ensure that good health is accessible to all individuals

LONDON, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Economist Impact, an arm of The Economist Group that works with organisations globally to further their missions, today launched phase two of the Health Inclusivity Index, supported by Haleon (LSE /NYSE: HLN), a global leader in consumer health. This phase's results show health inclusivity falling worldwide, and notably Britain falling from its top spot in phase one.

The index measures health inclusivity, which is defined as the process of removing personal, social, cultural and political barriers that prevent individuals and communities from experiencing good physical and mental health.

Assessing 40 countries against 58 individual indicators across three domains (Health in Society, Inclusive Health Systems and People and Community Empowerment), the index aims to evaluate the health inclusivity policy landscape, the availability of key systems and infrastructure, in addition to efforts to empower individuals and communities to navigate health systems and expand access to marginalised and vulnerable populations.

The second phase of the index incorporates lived-experience and measures the real-world implementation of inclusive health policy through a survey of over 42,000 adults across 40 countries.

The phase 2 Health Inclusivity Index's key findings include:

85% of countries' inclusivity scores deteriorated between phase 1 and phase 2, showing there is a clear gap between policy and implementation. Effective and inclusive health systems require the enactment of strong policy frameworks and the meaningful implementation of these measures in practice
Britain has fallen as the most health inclusive country when health policies are compared with on-the-ground experience. While policy is an important foundation for health, it is the effective implementation of the policies, and people's experience of them, that will reduce inequities and improve health outcomes for populations
High-income countries have large gaps between their inclusive health policies and citizens' experience of them. In contrast, low- and middle-income countries have a smaller difference (the United Arab Emirates is the only high-income country that does not follow this trend). Although high-income countries have forged ahead in developing and instituting ambitious healthcare policies aimed at inclusion, this push has led to a policy-practice gap that will require focus, effort and resources to close
Marginalised groups face the greatest risk of exclusion in health when gaps between health policy and experience of policy exist. But this is avoidable and requires the implementation of targeted interventions, which should be designed in collaboration with the populations they aim to target
Over three in five respondents in the global health inclusivity survey experienced barriers to accessing healthcare. The most common barriers include lack of available appointments, distance and cost of travel and lack of trust in healthcare services
Younger respondents are more likely to say they have been denied access to healthcare and to see trust and cost as barriers to receiving care. Over one-in-five (21%) Gen Z and millennial respondents had been denied access to care, compared with 14% of older respondents
Low- and lower-middle income countries foster greater inclusivity through community-based healthcare services. Respondents in low- and lower-middle income countries were almost 10 percentage points more likely to have access to the five core services located at the community level considered in the index

The top ten Health Inclusivity Index rankings are as follows: Australia, Sweden, UK, USA, France, Israel, Canada, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland and Thailand. With all but one country scoring below 80, it is clear that a significant effort is needed to truly embed health inclusivity.

Jonathan Birdwell, Global Head, Policy & Insights, Economist Impact, says: "Measuring a country's ability to provide quality healthcare involves evaluating its policy but also its population's ability to use their healthcare services. That's why we are pleased to add the lived-experience indicators to Economist Impact's Health Inclusivity Index. The results of this phase of the index show that high-income countries still have a lot of improvements to make if they are to effectively turn their policy into action."

To access the full report please visit: https://impact.economist.com/projects/health-inclusivity-index

About Economist Impact
Economist Impact combines the rigour of a think-tank with the creativity of a media brand to engage a globally influential audience. We believe that evidence-based insights can open debate, broaden perspectives and catalyse progress. The services offered by Economist Impact previously existed within The Economist Group as separate entities, including EIU Thought Leadership, EIU Public Policy, Economist Events, El Studios and SignalNoise.

Our track record spans 75 years across 205 countries. Along with creative storytelling, events expertise, design-thinking solutions and market-leading media products, we produce framework design, benchmarking, economic and social impact analysis, forecasting and scenario modelling, making Economist Impact's offering unique in the marketplace. Visit www.economistimpact.com for more information.

About Haleon
Haleon (LSE /NYSE: HLN) is a global leader in consumer health, with a purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity. Haleon's product portfolio spans five major categories - Oral Health, Pain Relief, Respiratory Health, Digestive Health and Other, and Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS). Its long-standing brands - such as Advil, Sensodyne, Panadol, Voltaren, Theraflu, Otrivin, Polident, parodontax and Centrum - are built on trusted science, innovation and deep human understanding.

For more information, please visit www.haleon.com.

SOURCE Economist Impact