Monika Mischke

Confidence in receiving medical care when seriously ill: a seven-country comparison of the impact of cost barriers.

Objective  This paper examines how negative experiences with the health‐care system create a lack of confidence in receiving medical care in seven countries: Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Welfare States and Public Opinion

Welfare States and Public Opinion comprises an informed inquiry into three fields of social policy – health policy, family policy, and unemployment benefits and social assistance. Though the analyses stem from research spanning fifteen countries across Europe, the conclusions can be applied to social policy problems in nations worldwide. Combining a detailed analysis of the institutional structure of social policy with the study of public attitudes toward healthcare, family policy, and benefits for the unemployed and poor, this book represents a new stream in public opinion research. The authors demonstrate that the institutional designs of social policies have a great impact on inequalities among social groups, and provide best practices for gaining public support for social policy reform.

Types of Public Family Support: A Cluster Analysis of 15 European Countries

Abstract Departing from Korpis distinction between dual earner and general family support (Korpi 2000), this paper uses recent family policy indicators to detect types of public family support in the European Union. Using cluster-analytical tools and including a wide set of countries and indicators, the chosen approach allows for capturing pluralistic policy orientations. Results suggest five distinct family policy clusters: a general family support cluster, a dual earner support cluster, a pluralistic policy cluster, and two low support clusters. In a second step, the suggested solution is validated using the clusters as a framework to explain international variation in female labor-market participation, fertility, gender equality, and child poverty.

Cost barriers reduce confidence in receiving medical care when seriously ill.

People need to trust that necessary care will be provided in the case of serious illness or injury, but negative experiences with the healthcare system reduce confidence. In this article, we discuss the effect of cost barriers on peoples confidence in receiving safe and quality medical care when falling seriously ill in seven countries: Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.