Abstract
This study examined the dynamics of vaccine spending and vaccine legislation in the Americas Region over the period 1980–2013. Annual vaccine expenditures from thirty-one countries were extracted from the Pan American Health Organization Revolving Fund database. Information on vaccine laws and regulations was provided by the PAHO Family, Gender, and Life Course Unit. Both time series and event history models were estimated. The results show that passing an immunization law led a representative country to increase its vaccine spending, controlling for income, infant mortality, population size, and DPT3 vaccine coverage. Countries with higher vaccine coverage were also more likely to have passed laws. Conversely, higher income countries were less likely to have vaccine laws. Vaccine legislation will likely play a similarly important role in other regions as more countries move towards immunization program ownership.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Palloni, A. (1985) Health conditions in Latin America and policies for mortality change. Vallin, J., Lopez, A. and Behm, H. (eds), Health Policy, Social Policy and Mortality Prospects. Liege: Ordina Edition, pp. 465–492.
Anomaly, J. (2013) Public health and public goods. Public Health Ethics 4(3): 251-259.
Palloni, A. (1989) Measurement and models of levels, patterns, and determinants of early child mortality. Cleland, J. and Hill, A. (eds.), The Health Transition: Methods and Measures: The Proceedings of an International Workshop, London, June 1989. Health Transition Centre, the Australian University, Canberra, pp. 896–899.
de Quadros, C. (1997) Global eradication of poliomyelitis. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 1(3): 125–129.
Gauri, V. and Khaleghian, P. (2002) Immunization in developing countries: Its political and organizational determinants. World Development 30(12): 2109–2132
de Quadros, C. (2013) Historical perspectives on new vaccine introduction in Latin America and the Caribbean. Vaccine 31S: C4–C5.
Tambini, G., Andrus, J.K., Fitzsimmons, J.W. and Periago, M.R. (2006) Regional immunization programs as a model for strengthening cooperation among nations. Revista Panamericana de la Salud Publica/Pan American Journal of Public Health 20(1): 54–59.
Andrus, J.K., Crouch, A.A., Fitzsimmons, J., Vicari, A. and Tambini, G. (2008) Immunization and the millennium development goals: Progress and challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean. Health Affairs 27(2): 487–493.
Burns, J.E., Mitrovich, R.C., Jauregui, B., Ruiz Matus, C. and Andrus, J.K. (2009) Descriptive analysis of immunization policy decision making in the Americas. Revista Panamericana de la Salud Publica 26(5): 398–404.
Trumbo, S.P., Janusz, C.B., Jauregui, B., McQuestion, M., Felix, G., Ruiz-Matus, C., Andrus, J.K. and de Quadros, C. (2013) Vaccination legislation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Journal of Public Health Policy 34 (1): 82–99
Carrasco, P., de Quadros, C. and Umstead, W. (1983) EPI in the Americas: Benefits from revolving fund. WHO Chronicle 37(3): 81–85.
United Nations Population Division (2013) World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision. Geneva: United Nations.
World Bank. (2015) World Development Indicators. http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD, accessed 6 October 2016.
Burris, S., Wagenaar, A.C., Swanson, J.W., Ibrahim, J.K., Wood, J. and Mello, M.M. (2010) A framework for public health law research. Making the case for laws that improve health: A framework for public health law research. Milbank Quarterly 88 (2): 169–210.
Zettelmeyer, J. (2006) Growth and Reforms in Latin America: A Survey of Facts and Arguments. IMF Working Paper WP06/210. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Department, https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2006/wp06210.pdf, accessed 6 October 2016.
Taylor, S.L. (2002) Democratization in Latin America. Latin American Research Review 37(3): 162–175.
Arvate, P.R. (2013) Electoral competition and local government responsiveness in Brazil. World Development 43, 67–83.
Frenk, J., Bobadilla, J.L., Stern, C., Frejka, T. and Lozano, R. (1991) Elements for a theory of transition in health. Revista de Salud Publica en Mexico, 33(5): 448–462.
Meslé, F. and Vallin, J. (2007) From epidemiological transition to health transition. Medecine Tropicale 67(6): 545–51. French.
Decade of Vaccine Collaboration (2013) Global vaccine action plan. Vaccine 31S: B5–B31.
McQuestion, M., Carlson, A., Dari, K., Gnawali, D., Kamara, C., Kizza, D., Mambu-Ma-Disu, H., Mbwangue, J., Silver, D. and Paatashvili, E. (2016) Routes countries can take to achieve full ownership of immunization programs. Health Affairs 35(2): 266–271.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McQuestion, M., Garcia, A.G.F., Janusz, C. et al. National legislation and spending on vaccines in Latin America and the Caribbean. J Public Health Pol 38, 3–15 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-016-0052-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-016-0052-x