Howard A. Palley – författare

Examining the changing nature of health care federalism within a competitive global context, Comparative Health Care Federalism provides a rich and nuanced account of the way in which the interplay of federal relationships impact health care within an array of systems. The editors have gathered together some of the leading international health policy scholars to provide detailed accounts of the dynamics of federal health policy-making within their respective jurisdictions. Complementing the theoretical and methodological objectives, this book provides a detailed, empirical description of the challenges faced by different states and the ways in which health policy-making works within the federal, quasi-federal, and functional federal systems presented. In chapters on the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, the United Kingdom, the EU, India, China, Brazil, and the Russian Federation the authors consider what variables contribute to, and stand in the way of, the formation of robust and sustainable health care systems.

This collection is focused on the provision of community-based programs and activities in health and related long-term care services that have contributed, or may in the future contribute, to social policy development. Several of the articles in this collection deal with community-based health and long-term care program and policy initiatives that have been facilitated through federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act. The implementation of some of these community-based programs have significantly influenced social policy thinking regarding the beneficial effects of integrating medical and social aspects of health and long-term care services, as well as the health care team approach to the delivery of health and long-term care services. Another dimension addressed is the impact of interest groups, such as family caregivers, in advancing social policy that supports the efforts of community-based family care givers in providing services to patients in need.The underlying theme is how such local community programs have contributed in a variety of ways to the development of social policies at the community level that in many ways focus on the integration of health and related long-term care services and a health care team approach to the provision of such services. The book will be of interest to community development courses in Schools of Social Work and other health professions such as Nursing and Public Health. It will also be of interest to health policy programs in public administration and other social sciences.This book was published as a special issue of Social Work in Public Health.