Towards better stewardship: concepts and critical issues Phyllida Travis, Dominique Egger, Philip Davies, Abdelhay Mechbal Evidence and Information for Policy World Health Organization, 2002 Available as PDF file [19p.] at: http://www3.who.int/whosis/discussion_papers/pdf/paper48.pdf "...............The paper proposes that stewards should have access to reliable, up-to-date information on: Current and future trends in health and health system performance? For example, on levels, trends and inequalities in key areas such as national health expenditures; human resources; health system outcomes; health risk factors; vulnerable groups; coverage; provider performance; organisational / institutional challenges in provision, financing, resource generation, stewardship Important contextual factors and actors the political, economic and institutional context; the roles and motivation of different actors; user / consumer preferences; opportunities and constraints for change. Events / reforms in other sectors with implications for the health sector Possible policy options, based on national and international evidence and experience? For example, intelligence on different policy tools and instruments for similar problems; on their effects in different settings, and on managing change. It includes information on relatively specific things such as cost-effective interventions; and on possible institutional arrangements for different functions........." This message from the Division of Health and Human Development, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate information related to Equity, Health inequality; socioeconomic inequality in health; socioeconomic health differentials. Gender, Violence, Poverty, Health Economics, Health Legislation, Ethnicity, Ethics, Information Technology and Virtual Libraries, Research & Science issues. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PAHO/WHO Website: http://www.paho.org/English/HDP/equidad-list-about.htm EQUIDAD List - Archives: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html