title: The context for health reform in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, and the United States.
abstract: The success of health policy initiatives can be strongly influenced by the political, social, and cultural context within which a health care system operates. This study explores the similarities and differences in the background context of the four countries considered in this supplement: Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. It concludes that there are considerable differences in the background context among these four countries, which help to explain their differing structural and organizational approaches to issues of pharmaceutical and home care policy.
authors.affiliation: Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. saltman@sph.emory.edu
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Saltman
mesh_terms: D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D005858:Germany; D006077:Government Agencies; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006285:Health Planning; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011057:Politics; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013548:Sweden; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States