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Impact of Decentralization on Health Systems: Existing Evidence

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Decentralizing Health Services

Abstract

This chapter helps the reader to understand and decide whether to accept or reject some of the evidence available and analysed on the impact of decentralization in health systems worldwide. This chapter also contributes to develop the reader’s thinking about how to critically analyse some of the evidence identified, gathered and presented on the impact outcomes of decentralization in health systems, the variety and complexity of the decentralization effects and its institutional, political, legal, managerial, administrative and fiscal process, as well as its overall transformative aim. The reader analyses examples of the main objectives/outcomes of decentralization according to previous research carried out with that purpose. Hence, the existing evidence on decentralization outcomes expected/unexpected and achieved/unachieved. Whether or not, both kinds of decentralization paradigms (i.e. multi-sectoral and sectoral-wide or narrow approaches) would have effectively resolved or unresolved, improved or worsened and enhanced or reduced somehow those processes, changes, priorities, problems and needs at the different levels of implementation, structures and resources existing in the health system or sector in different countries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for the Study of Conflict, Power and Violence (CEDESCPV) in Europe, London, UK

    Mario S. de Leon

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  1. Mario S. de Leon
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Correspondence to Mario S. de Leon .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Education and Leadership Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Luton, United Kingdom

    Krishna Regmi

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de Leon, M.S. (2014). Impact of Decentralization on Health Systems: Existing Evidence. In: Regmi, K. (eds) Decentralizing Health Services. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9071-5_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9071-5_8

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