Article Review One – Date of Submission
For Your Subject
King, G., et al. (2009). Public policy for the poor? A randomised assessment of the Mexican universal health insurance programme. The Lancet, 373, 1447-1454.
Twelve authors, led by Dr. Gary King, have co-authored the scholarly article in review. Dr. King is a Professor of Government at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in Harvard University. He is the Director of the Institute for Quantitative Social Science in the same university, specializing in utilizing empirical methods of social science research.
Article Summary
The authors evaluated the implementation of Seguro Popular, a medical programme in Mexico seeking to provide health services to uninsured citizens. Some of those services include the provision of insurance, medical care and facilities, among others. The authors used quantitative methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme within a 10-month period. The assignment of samples happened within health clusters in seven Mexican states on the first day of said period. The authors gathered data from previous relevant studies and used it as part of their analysis. After 10 months, subjects within the chosen samples received surveys seeking to elicit their insights on said medical programme. The results revealed that the programme fulfilled its objective to reach out to those who are in greater need of medical care – particularly the poor, as it made healthcare more affordable and accessible, albeit with particular limitations.
While the study revealed that Seguro Popular – the public policy under scrutiny, is effective in delivering its basic goals, the short duration within which the evaluation ensued has provided limited outcomes, particularly expected effects that are time-sensitive. The authors followed up that there is a need to conduct further studies within longer periods in order to establish the potency of the programme, particularly in terms of its long-term effects.
Overall, the whole evaluation endeavor successfully utilized empirical metrics – as promised by the authors, in coming up with optimal results within the limited period. The authors held a realistic view of their research outcomes, considering the limitations provided by time and its effects on their evaluation process.
