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Global Health Economics

The HERA cluster “Global Health Economics” explores health, behavior, and policy effectiveness from a global perspective, focusing on reducing inequities in health outcomes and access to care across demographic, socioeconomic and cultural groups.

Health outcomes are shaped by individual behavior, policies, social norms, institutions, and broader structural factors. Health disparities emerge early – before birth and in childhood – continuing through the reproductive and productive years into old age, often transferring across generations. Global challenges like pandemics, climate change, conflict, migration, and aging further strain resources, requiring data-driven, interdisciplinary solutions.  

Our research is highly empirical, based on econometric analyses of administrative data, large-scale surveys, randomized controlled trials and behavioral experiments but also qualitative methods. We aim to identify causal links between behavior, interventions, and health outcomes and assess the impact, underlying mechanisms, cost-effectiveness, and targeting of health programs.  

Key themes include mental health, sexual and reproductive health (including family planning, HIV/AIDS), health insurance and digital health. We focus on low- and middle-income countries where health systems are generally weaker, market failures more pronounced, and inequalities deeper. We generate evidence-based insights to improve health and inform effective and affordable policies worldwide. 

We teach global health-related courses at the Bachelors-level (“Health Economics”), within the MSc Economics and Public Policy tracks (“Human Development”), as well as in the MPhil program of the Tinbergen Institute (“Development Economics”). We collaborate closely with the Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development (www.aighd.org), the Amsterdam University Medical Center, and many research partners in the Global South. 

Overview of research projects

  • The impact of digital health insurance for low-income women in Kenya: A financial and health diaries study

    This study assesses the impact of a subsidized, mobile phone-based health insurance program on insurance enrollment, healthcare use, and health spending among low-income women and their families in Western Kenya, using a randomized control trial in 24 villages. Over a period of 18 months, weekly financial and health data were collected from 240 households (1,300 individuals) and combined with behavioral experiments to evaluate program impact. These data yielded unexpected insights into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and socio-economic conditions.

    Collaborators: Wendy Janssens, Menno Pradhan (HERA), Clotilde Mahe (HERA), Estelle Sidze, Amanuel Abajobir, Caroline Wainaina.

  • Continuous monitoring of critically ill children in hospitals in Malawi

    This multidisciplinary research program aims to develop, pilot-test and evaluate a robust monitoring system with predictive algorithms for peadiatric intensive care that is adapted to low-resource settings. The HERA team is responsible for the qualitative (social science) research and the cost-effectiveness analysis. Read more here.

    Collaborators: Wendy Janssens, Jobiba Chinkhumba (Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, KUHes, Malawi), Lucinda Manda Taylor (KUHes), Daniel MWale (KUHes/AUMC), Angela Jornada Ben (VU Science), Job Calis (AUMC).

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