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Health

The focus of the content on this page is on the economics of health in Sub-Saharan Africa. Here you’ll find the most recent research publications, working papers and policy briefs produced by RESEP researchers. In some instances, this work dates back to more ten years.

COVID-19 and inequality in reading outcomes in South Africa: PIRLS 2016 and 2021

In this Covid-Generation working paper, Bianca Böhmer and Gabrielle Wills contribute new evidence on pandemic effects on reading scores and inequalities in reading in South Africa through an in-depth analysis of data from the 2016 and 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) – a Grade 4 reading comprehension assessment.

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December 23, 2023 By: Bianca Böhmer and Gabrielle Wills PDF

Longitudinal changes in COVID-19 vaccination intent among South African adults: evidence from the NIDS-CRAM panel survey, February to May 2021

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has threatened the ability of many countries worldwide to contain the pandemic. Given the severe impact of the pandemic in South Africa and disruptions to the roll-out of the vaccine in early 2021, slower-than-expected uptake is a pressing public health challenge in the country. We examined longitudinal changes in COVID-19 vaccination intent among South African adults, as well as determinants of intent to receive a vaccine.

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April 22, 2022 By: Ronelle Burger, Timothy Köhler, Aleksandra Golos, Alison Buttenheim, René English, Michele Tameris & Brendan Maughan-Brown PDF

The health impact of free access to antiretroviral therapy in South Africa

Since 2004 the South African government has rolled out free antiretroviral therapy (ART) at public health care facilities nationwide. No prior studies have estimated the impact of the ART rollout on health and survival using a longitudinal household survey with national coverage.

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April 22, 2022 By: Cobus Burger, Ronelle Burger, & Eddy van Doorslaer PDF

Lockdown-Associated Hunger May be Affecting Breastfeeding: Findings from a Larger SMS Survey in South Africa

The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, on food security and child health is especially concerning. A rapid, Short Message Service (SMS) Maternal and Child Health survey was conducted in South Africa in June 2020 (n = 3140), with a follow-up in July 2020 (n = 2287).

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April 22, 2022 By: Nazeeia Sayed, Ronelle Burger, Abigail Harper, Elizabeth Swart PDF

The Economics of Health in South Africa

The remnants of the colonial and apartheid era are evident in the South African health system’s persistently higher levels of injury, mental health problems, disease and mortality amongst the poor and marginalized—mediated through a wide range of social determinants including environmental health factors such as hygiene, access to clean water, clean air and adequate sanitation, violent crime and trauma, occupational risk, alcohol abuse and tobacco dependence.

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April 22, 2021 By: Ronelle Burger & Mosima Ngwenya PDF