Resumen

GALVEZ GONZALEZ, Ana María. Contributions and challenges of health economics in Cuba. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2012, vol.38, suppl.5, pp. 834-843. ISSN 0864-3466.

The objective of this paper was to submit a critical presentation of the development of health economics in the Cuban health context. Health economics in Cuba has been developed in three main areas: education, research and participation in decision making. After more than thirty years of the emergence of this discipline in Cuba, it is possible to mention a group of strengths and challenges. Education is the area with the greatest improvements; despite some difficulties that may exist, it is the basic source of research promotion in this field. The biggest challenges are to incorporate the research results into the decision making process and to reinforce the introduction of the theoretical knowledge to the daily work. The development of health economics in Cuba presents some similarities and differences if compared to that of other settings. This behavior may be associated to specific characteristics of the Cuban health system and the characteristics of the economic model that the country puts into practice. In the forthcoming years, the integration of education, research and decision making in the field of health economics needs to be reinforced, since it is a starting point and the best way to know the key economic elements of our reality in the health care area and to keep an advantageous relationship with the most advanced economic thinking.

Palabras clave : health economics; education; research; decision making.

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