Understanding the role of welfare state characteristics for health and inequalities - an analytical review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The past decade has witnessed a growing body of research on welfare state characteristics and health inequalities but the picture is, despite this, inconsistent. We aim to review this research by focusing on theoretical and methodological differences between studies that at least in part may lead to these mixed findings.

Methods

Three reviews and relevant bibliographies were manually explored in order to find studies for the review. Related articles were searched for in PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Database searches were done in PubMed and Web of Science. The search period was restricted to 2005-01-01 to 2013-02-28. Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria.

Results

Three main approaches to comparative welfare state research are identified

SUBMITTER: Bergqvist K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3909317 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature