Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106973

Jolie Haun, MS, EdS, LMT, Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, 4100 SW 20th Ave. Apt G-25, Gainesville, FL 32607, 904-377-6796, joliehaun@bellsouth.net

Background: Though the United States signed the World Health Organization Constitution, determining health care as a fundamental right, nearly sixty years later 45.0 million American citizens are without health care coverage. In addition to access issues, health care costs in America are the highest of any country in the world. Research suggests the United States Healthcare system can benefit from organization and structural changes to better serve its' patrons. The session will present: an objective perspective of the current American health care system; identify the types of healthcare models; describe the health care system models of eight countries of interest: Canada; France; Germany; Italy; Japan; Sweden; the United Kingdom; and the United States; review general observations and comparisons of the World Health Organization's 2000 rankings of member states; discuss criticisms in research methodology; discuss implications for creating an optimal health care system.

Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives

• to identify the three major health care system models;
• to compare the healthcare systems of eight countries;
• to discuss criticisms in research methodology; and
• to identify the characteristics of highly functional health care systems.

Keywords: Health Care Reform, Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.