Impact on equity of access and efficiency of Integrated Health care Networks (IHN) in Colombia and Brazil

Equity-LA is a research project whose objective is to analyze the impact on equity of access and the efficiency of integrated health service networks (RISS) in Colombia and Brazil. It takes an innovative multidisciplinary approach to health services research, combining qualitative and quantitative methods.
The investigation consists of two stages:
Two national case studies, one in Colombia and the other in Brazil, to evaluate the real performance of the RISS in relation to access to health systems, care continuity and efficiency, according to existing health policies.
A cross-national comparative study to compare the two countries, with the aim of identifying those factors and actors that affect the results in each particular context.
To carry out the research, qualitative and quantitative research methods are combined: analysis of documents, review of records, individual interviews, focus groups and surveys of potential users of the RISS.
Project financed by the European Commission, as a collaborative project for Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICA), in the Seventh Framework Program (FP7): Cooperation, Health.