title: The public versus the World Health Organization on health system performance.
abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) ranked health systems in 191 countries based on measures developed by public health experts. This paper compares the WHO rankings for seventeen industrialized countries with the perceptions of their citizens. The results show little relationship between WHO rankings and the satisfaction of the citizens who experience these health systems. The health systems of some top WHO performers are rated poorly by their citizens, including the low-income and elderly. The two rated most highly by the public rank at the bottom of the WHO ratings. These findings suggest that both public and expert views should be considered in international rankings.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health and Kennedy School of Government, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Blendon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000145:classification* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D011634:Public Health; D011639:Public Opinion; D014944:World Health Organization