Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response

Background: The pandemic in Mexico underlined pre-existing health-care system inequalities. Within the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 154 health policies across health institutions were found to be uncoordinated and heterogeneous, leading to health inequalities in access and potential he...

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Main Authors: Daniela Bautista-Reyes, Jimena Werner-Sunderland, Alondra Coral Aragón-Gama, José Roberto Cabral Duran, Karla Daniela Contreras Medina, Manuel Urbina-Fuentes, Elysse Bautista-González
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-12-01
Series:Health Policy Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590229623000126
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author Daniela Bautista-Reyes
Jimena Werner-Sunderland
Alondra Coral Aragón-Gama
José Roberto Cabral Duran
Karla Daniela Contreras Medina
Manuel Urbina-Fuentes
Elysse Bautista-González
author_facet Daniela Bautista-Reyes
Jimena Werner-Sunderland
Alondra Coral Aragón-Gama
José Roberto Cabral Duran
Karla Daniela Contreras Medina
Manuel Urbina-Fuentes
Elysse Bautista-González
author_sort Daniela Bautista-Reyes
collection DOAJ
description Background: The pandemic in Mexico underlined pre-existing health-care system inequalities. Within the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 154 health policies across health institutions were found to be uncoordinated and heterogeneous, leading to health inequalities in access and potential health outcomes. Data & methods: Using a rapid qualitative research methodology, data was collected using purposive sampling of institutional policies published for public access on the official websites of the four public health institutions in Mexico from June 16th, 2020 to October 30th, 2021. This policy review used archival analysis to understand the differences in health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. These policies were classified under the RREAL framework and as a continuation of our first publication. Results: During this study, categories of public health response and vaccination dominated the policies enacted. The SSA was the main author of publications. There seems to be a more unified policy response. However, health inequalities persist. Conclusions: The Mexican government continued to be reactive to the increase in cases or the arrival of new variants, rather than preventative. Research and development of policies need to work together in soaring cases like COVID-19 to work more effectively against the economic and epidemiological burden of a pandemic. It is suggested that this “vaccination” should be included in the RREAL classification. Other sectors (i.e. the ministry of foreign affairs) should be considered relevant players in the future management of a pandemic.
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spelling doaj.art-df18d461c7d14ee79f9fccc6e1156be12023-12-20T07:36:49ZengElsevierHealth Policy Open2590-22962023-12-015100100Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal responseDaniela Bautista-Reyes0Jimena Werner-Sunderland1Alondra Coral Aragón-Gama2José Roberto Cabral Duran3Karla Daniela Contreras Medina4Manuel Urbina-Fuentes5Elysse Bautista-González6IndependentLatinxs Against AMR, MexicoNational Institute of Public Health, Nutrition, and Health Research Center, Cuernavaca, Morelos, MexicoUniversity College London, UKUniversidad Anáhuac, MexicoInvestigación en salud y demografía (INSAD), Mexico City, MexicoUniversity College London, UK; Corresponding author.Background: The pandemic in Mexico underlined pre-existing health-care system inequalities. Within the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, 154 health policies across health institutions were found to be uncoordinated and heterogeneous, leading to health inequalities in access and potential health outcomes. Data & methods: Using a rapid qualitative research methodology, data was collected using purposive sampling of institutional policies published for public access on the official websites of the four public health institutions in Mexico from June 16th, 2020 to October 30th, 2021. This policy review used archival analysis to understand the differences in health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico. These policies were classified under the RREAL framework and as a continuation of our first publication. Results: During this study, categories of public health response and vaccination dominated the policies enacted. The SSA was the main author of publications. There seems to be a more unified policy response. However, health inequalities persist. Conclusions: The Mexican government continued to be reactive to the increase in cases or the arrival of new variants, rather than preventative. Research and development of policies need to work together in soaring cases like COVID-19 to work more effectively against the economic and epidemiological burden of a pandemic. It is suggested that this “vaccination” should be included in the RREAL classification. Other sectors (i.e. the ministry of foreign affairs) should be considered relevant players in the future management of a pandemic.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590229623000126VaccinesHealth policyHealth inequalitiesCOVID-19 pandemicMexico
spellingShingle Daniela Bautista-Reyes
Jimena Werner-Sunderland
Alondra Coral Aragón-Gama
José Roberto Cabral Duran
Karla Daniela Contreras Medina
Manuel Urbina-Fuentes
Elysse Bautista-González
Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response
Health Policy Open
Vaccines
Health policy
Health inequalities
COVID-19 pandemic
Mexico
title Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response
title_full Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response
title_fullStr Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response
title_full_unstemmed Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response
title_short Health-care policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico: A continuous case of heterogeneous, reactive, and unequal response
title_sort health care policies during the covid 19 pandemic in mexico a continuous case of heterogeneous reactive and unequal response
topic Vaccines
Health policy
Health inequalities
COVID-19 pandemic
Mexico
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590229623000126
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