Promoting equity in health and health care in Denmark

Whilst health equity is a stated priority of the Danish health care system and the current Danish government, until recently there have been few policies or interventions designed to safeguard equity, or to address inequity. There are indications that health inequalities in Denmark are rising, and although gaps in data make it difficult to get a full picture across all areas, evidence suggests that there are disparities in health status, access to health care and health outcomes. This chapter examines Denmark’s need to build upon the principle of equity that is a cornerstone of the Health Act, and work across all levels of government to put in place appropriate policies that promote equity across the health care system. The chapter suggests that policies that prevent structural inequalities should accompany existing initiatives targeting health risks, and that close examination should be given to possible barriers to equitable access to services. Efforts to promote equity in health and health care will be most successful with a comprehensive data infrastructure, and recommendations about strengthening areas of data weakness are made. Changes and improvements in policies around quality of care, the primary care system, and the hospital system all have the potential to impact upon equity, and the analysis and recommendations made in this chapter are closely tied to those of the three preceding chapters.