Midterm review Flashcards
Define health policy
A set of decisions, plans, and actions to achieve specific health care goals in a society.
What do we mean by “the polis” in health policy?
A concept representing society as a political community with shared interests and collective action.
Define ideology
A system of ideas and beliefs that influence political, economic, and social policies.
What is neoliberalism?
An economic and political approach emphasizing free markets, privatization, and reduced government intervention.
What is the socio-environmental way of thinking about health?
Focuses on how social and environmental factors like poverty and community impact health.
Define epistemology
The study of knowledge, how we know what we know.
What is post-positivism?
A philosophy that recognizes the limitations of scientific knowledge and emphasizes context and interpretation.
Discuss the contemporary debate on health care reform in Canada
Focuses on issues like privatization, wait times, funding, and balancing public/private roles.
Compare and contrast the consensus and conflict models of policy
Consensus focuses on cooperation and shared values; conflict emphasizes power struggles and competing interests.
Compare and contrast the market and polis concepts of society
The market views individuals as self-interested actors; the polis sees people as community members with collective goals.
How do ontology, epistemology, and methodology relate to health policy?
They shape how health issues are understood, studied, and addressed through policy.
Define a meso-level policy and give an example
Policies at the organizational or community level, like hospital management rules.
How do Pluralism and New Institutionalism relate to each other?
Both study policy processes; pluralism focuses on diverse groups, new institutionalism on the role of institutions.
Describe Easton’s Model of the Political System
A framework showing how inputs (demands, support) influence political decisions and outputs (policies).
What is meant by “institution” in New Institutionalism?
Organizations and rules that shape political behavior and decisions.
Compare and contrast the micro, meso, and macro levels of policy
Micro affects individuals, meso targets organizations, macro addresses national/global systems.
What is Historic Institutionalism?
A theory emphasizing how historical events and decisions shape current policies
What is Feminist Political Economy?
An approach focusing on how gender affects access to resources, power, and opportunities.
Compare and contrast Pluralism and Political Economy
Pluralism highlights diverse interest groups; political economy focuses on power and economic structures.
Compare and contrast Easton’s Model and Kingdon’s Policy Stream Convergence
Easton’s focuses on political systems, Kingdon’s on how problems, policies, and politics align to create change.
What COVID-related policies would a Political Economy analysis identify as necessary?
Policies addressing health inequities, social determinants, and resource distribution.
How does Leichter define structural factors? Provide an example
Long-term societal factors like economic systems or political institutions. Example: healthcare infrastructure.
What does Easton mean by demands in his framework?
Public needs or desires that influence political decisions.
What is civil society and why is it important for policymaking?
Non-governmental organizations and groups influencing policy through advocacy and public engagement.
