HEALTH POLICY 3400 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100%
CORRECT
Politics - ANSWER-1. study of power
2. production of intended effects
3. exists within most organizations (i.e. not exclusively government)
4. "Authoritative allocation of resources"
5. "Who gets what, when, how, and from whom?"
Power and Process - ANSWER-Who makes the decisions = power
How the decisions are made = process
Policies are guides to a range of actions in a given field
Types or Categories of Policy - ANSWER-1. Public policy
2. Social policy - health and education policy
3. Economic policy
4. Environmental policy
Public Policy - ANSWER-- Right ordering of relationships between men and women
who live together in society
- Whatever governments choose to do or not to do
- Guiding principles for ways of life, motivated by basic and perceived human needs
- A course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a problem or
interrelated set of problems
HS3400 Definition of Policy - ANSWER-"Policy is a set of interrelated decisions taken
by a political actor or group of actors concerning the selection of
goals and the means of achieving them within a
specified situation where these decisions should, in
principle, be within the power of these actors to achieve."
i.e., The intention to achieve a certain outcome
Buse definition - ANSWER-Health policy is assumed to embrace courses of action (or
inaction) that affect the set of institutions, organizations, service, and funding
arrangements of the health and health care system. It includes policy made by the
public sector (government) as well as policies in the private sector. But because health
is influenced by many determinants outside the health system, we are also interested in
the actions and intended actions of organizations external to the health system that
impact on health
,Policy Analysis Triangle (Walt & Gilson, 1994) - ANSWER-Top - context
Left - content
Right - process
Middle - actors
Attributes of Public Policy - ANSWER-1. policies involves values
2. are normative
3. the choice of the tool is driven in part by value (range of tools are available)
4. action or inaction
5. trying to develop techniques to put values on the table and generate consensus
about public problems among citizens, politicians and expert
Being liberal - ANSWER-- I am a Liberal. I am liberal.
- the belief that is it the aim of politics to preserve individual rights and to maximize
freedom of choice (classic liberalism)
- limitations on the power of government
- In the 20th century the term describes views on civil liberties & personal freedom
issues
- now supporting a much stronger role for gov't in regulating and manipulating the
private economy and providing public support (social liberalism)
Being conservative - ANSWER-- Conservativism: a disposition to preserve, and an
ability to improve (~Burke)
- the goal of change is less important than the insistence that change be effected with a
respect for the rule of law and traditions of society
- specific content of "conservatism" is highly variable across societies and over time
- the arguments necessary to defend the status quo depend upon what the status quo is
in any particular country
Canadian Parliament - ANSWER-Parliament made up of:
1. Crown
2. Senate
3. House of Commons
- pass legislation, control the dollars, hold government accountable
- system maintenance, policy making and representational role
What is the difference b/w Parliament and Government? - ANSWER-Parliament:
- the Monarch
- Senators
- MPs
Government:
- Executive - Monarch, GG< PM and Cab
- Federal Departments
Caucus - ANSWER-members of the party, both in and out of cabinet
,Speech from the Throne - ANSWER-statement of gov'ts plan for the coming parliament
session,
read by GG on behalf of gov't
Policies solve problems - ANSWER-1. Policies are tools to solve problems.
2. Set of problems: policy problems are complex
3. In solving one, make others (unintended or otherwise)
4. Action or inaction
Factors that Affect Policy - ANSWER-1. Situational
2. Structural
3. Cultural
4. Geo-political, International, exogenous
5. other
Policy Cycle/Process - ANSWER-1. problem definition
2. agenda setting
3. policy development
4. implementation
5. policy evaluation
Definition of Problem - ANSWER-1. it is important to define the problem
- if no problem, why do you need a policy? issue must be recognized and defined
2. simple or complex
- e.g. Royal commissions can be used to identify problems
3. causal factors
- what factors lead to this problem?
4. may not be well articulated
- interest groups and media spend time debating problem definitions and causes
- the rationale for a policy action may be complex, even though the policy might be
simple
Policy Instruments - ANSWER-1. Choosing among a range of options:
- taxation, education/advertising, regulation
- in general, gov't tend to use same instruments for the same policy issue (not too
much innovation).
- but, the choice has to be legitimate in the eyes of the public
2. Policy implementation
- who is going to implement the policy, and how?
Policy Analysis vs. Advocacy - ANSWER-1. Policy Analysis:
- balanced, objective analysis
- assesses multiple positions and interests
- may recommend a policy option
2. Policy advocacy:
, - starts from a particular position
- may use tools of policy analysis to justify
Policy actors - ANSWER-1. policy makers
2. policy influencers
3. public authorities (with legitimate authority, assisted by elected officials and advisors)
4. elected officials whose job is to serve
5. elites
Is policy law? - ANSWER-Policy ≠ Law, but often very related
* A policy is not law but it will often identify new laws needed to achieve its goals
- A policy outlines what a government ministry hopes to achieve and the methods and
principles it will use to achieve them.
- states the goals of the ministry; it's a plan.
* Laws must be guided by current government policy.
- Laws set out standards, procedures and principles that must be followed.
- If a law is not followed, those responsible for breaking them can be prosecuted in
court.
- So, policy sets out the goals and planned activities of a ministry and department but it
may be necessary to pass a law to enable government to put in place the necessary
institutional and legal frameworks to achieve their aims.
What are some of the contexts that shape Canadian health policy? - ANSWER-1.
Geographic and socio-demographic contexts
2. Economic Context
3. Political Context
Geographic and socio-demographic contexts - ANSWER-- Large land mass
- Population clustered in urban centres (80% of population)
- Aging population (14% 65+ years)
- First Nations
Economic Context - ANSWER-- Ranked among the richest nations of the world
- Relatively strong economy
- Some issues with income inequity - better than some countries/worse than others
- Health care costs continue to grow
Political Context - ANSWER-* Canada is a federation
* Federal and provincial governments - constitutionally recognized
- National or what is called the "federal" level of government
- Provincial governments (10)/ Territories (3)
- Municipal or local government - political units under provincial government law
* Constitution Act, 1867/1982 sets out the powers for federal and provincial
governments
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 100%
CORRECT
Politics - ANSWER-1. study of power
2. production of intended effects
3. exists within most organizations (i.e. not exclusively government)
4. "Authoritative allocation of resources"
5. "Who gets what, when, how, and from whom?"
Power and Process - ANSWER-Who makes the decisions = power
How the decisions are made = process
Policies are guides to a range of actions in a given field
Types or Categories of Policy - ANSWER-1. Public policy
2. Social policy - health and education policy
3. Economic policy
4. Environmental policy
Public Policy - ANSWER-- Right ordering of relationships between men and women
who live together in society
- Whatever governments choose to do or not to do
- Guiding principles for ways of life, motivated by basic and perceived human needs
- A course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a problem or
interrelated set of problems
HS3400 Definition of Policy - ANSWER-"Policy is a set of interrelated decisions taken
by a political actor or group of actors concerning the selection of
goals and the means of achieving them within a
specified situation where these decisions should, in
principle, be within the power of these actors to achieve."
i.e., The intention to achieve a certain outcome
Buse definition - ANSWER-Health policy is assumed to embrace courses of action (or
inaction) that affect the set of institutions, organizations, service, and funding
arrangements of the health and health care system. It includes policy made by the
public sector (government) as well as policies in the private sector. But because health
is influenced by many determinants outside the health system, we are also interested in
the actions and intended actions of organizations external to the health system that
impact on health
,Policy Analysis Triangle (Walt & Gilson, 1994) - ANSWER-Top - context
Left - content
Right - process
Middle - actors
Attributes of Public Policy - ANSWER-1. policies involves values
2. are normative
3. the choice of the tool is driven in part by value (range of tools are available)
4. action or inaction
5. trying to develop techniques to put values on the table and generate consensus
about public problems among citizens, politicians and expert
Being liberal - ANSWER-- I am a Liberal. I am liberal.
- the belief that is it the aim of politics to preserve individual rights and to maximize
freedom of choice (classic liberalism)
- limitations on the power of government
- In the 20th century the term describes views on civil liberties & personal freedom
issues
- now supporting a much stronger role for gov't in regulating and manipulating the
private economy and providing public support (social liberalism)
Being conservative - ANSWER-- Conservativism: a disposition to preserve, and an
ability to improve (~Burke)
- the goal of change is less important than the insistence that change be effected with a
respect for the rule of law and traditions of society
- specific content of "conservatism" is highly variable across societies and over time
- the arguments necessary to defend the status quo depend upon what the status quo is
in any particular country
Canadian Parliament - ANSWER-Parliament made up of:
1. Crown
2. Senate
3. House of Commons
- pass legislation, control the dollars, hold government accountable
- system maintenance, policy making and representational role
What is the difference b/w Parliament and Government? - ANSWER-Parliament:
- the Monarch
- Senators
- MPs
Government:
- Executive - Monarch, GG< PM and Cab
- Federal Departments
Caucus - ANSWER-members of the party, both in and out of cabinet
,Speech from the Throne - ANSWER-statement of gov'ts plan for the coming parliament
session,
read by GG on behalf of gov't
Policies solve problems - ANSWER-1. Policies are tools to solve problems.
2. Set of problems: policy problems are complex
3. In solving one, make others (unintended or otherwise)
4. Action or inaction
Factors that Affect Policy - ANSWER-1. Situational
2. Structural
3. Cultural
4. Geo-political, International, exogenous
5. other
Policy Cycle/Process - ANSWER-1. problem definition
2. agenda setting
3. policy development
4. implementation
5. policy evaluation
Definition of Problem - ANSWER-1. it is important to define the problem
- if no problem, why do you need a policy? issue must be recognized and defined
2. simple or complex
- e.g. Royal commissions can be used to identify problems
3. causal factors
- what factors lead to this problem?
4. may not be well articulated
- interest groups and media spend time debating problem definitions and causes
- the rationale for a policy action may be complex, even though the policy might be
simple
Policy Instruments - ANSWER-1. Choosing among a range of options:
- taxation, education/advertising, regulation
- in general, gov't tend to use same instruments for the same policy issue (not too
much innovation).
- but, the choice has to be legitimate in the eyes of the public
2. Policy implementation
- who is going to implement the policy, and how?
Policy Analysis vs. Advocacy - ANSWER-1. Policy Analysis:
- balanced, objective analysis
- assesses multiple positions and interests
- may recommend a policy option
2. Policy advocacy:
, - starts from a particular position
- may use tools of policy analysis to justify
Policy actors - ANSWER-1. policy makers
2. policy influencers
3. public authorities (with legitimate authority, assisted by elected officials and advisors)
4. elected officials whose job is to serve
5. elites
Is policy law? - ANSWER-Policy ≠ Law, but often very related
* A policy is not law but it will often identify new laws needed to achieve its goals
- A policy outlines what a government ministry hopes to achieve and the methods and
principles it will use to achieve them.
- states the goals of the ministry; it's a plan.
* Laws must be guided by current government policy.
- Laws set out standards, procedures and principles that must be followed.
- If a law is not followed, those responsible for breaking them can be prosecuted in
court.
- So, policy sets out the goals and planned activities of a ministry and department but it
may be necessary to pass a law to enable government to put in place the necessary
institutional and legal frameworks to achieve their aims.
What are some of the contexts that shape Canadian health policy? - ANSWER-1.
Geographic and socio-demographic contexts
2. Economic Context
3. Political Context
Geographic and socio-demographic contexts - ANSWER-- Large land mass
- Population clustered in urban centres (80% of population)
- Aging population (14% 65+ years)
- First Nations
Economic Context - ANSWER-- Ranked among the richest nations of the world
- Relatively strong economy
- Some issues with income inequity - better than some countries/worse than others
- Health care costs continue to grow
Political Context - ANSWER-* Canada is a federation
* Federal and provincial governments - constitutionally recognized
- National or what is called the "federal" level of government
- Provincial governments (10)/ Territories (3)
- Municipal or local government - political units under provincial government law
* Constitution Act, 1867/1982 sets out the powers for federal and provincial
governments
