This chapter explores critical issues related to the measurement of health equity. It notes that without reliable data on disparities in health, policy makers and populations are less equipped to demand change and monitor progress. The chapter provides a comprehensive approach to the measurement of inequity. It outlines five basic considerations in the choice of health measures, highlighting the ways that assumptions can affect the magnitude and assessment of a given health disparity. A range of measures—new and old, simple and complex—for assessing intergroup and interindividual inequalities in health are reviewed. It outlines methods of measurement and suggests indicators for making assessments in both data-poor and data-rich countries.

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The MDGs and other development initiatives must become more comprehensive and explicit in their analysis and tracking of inequities. The design of policies to narrow health gaps must take into account country-specific inequities.

Abstractobjectives To review medical devices addressing newborn health in resource-poor settings, and to identify existing and potential barriers to their actual and efficient use in these settings.methods We searched Pubmed as our principal electronic reference library and dedicated databases such as Maternova and the Maternal and Neonatal Directed Assessment of Technology. We also researched standard public search engines. Studies and grey literature reports describing devices for use in a low-or middle-income country context were eligible for inclusion.results Few devices are currently described in the peer-reviewed medical or public health literature. The majority of newborn-specific devices were found in the grey literature. Most sources described infant warmers, neonatal resuscitators, and phototherapy devices. Other devices address the diagnosis of infectious diseases, monitoring of oxygen saturation, assisted ventilation, prevention of mother-tochild transmission of HIV, assisted childbirth, weight or temperature assessment, and others.conclusion Many medical devices designed for newborns in the developing world are under development or in the early stages of production, but the vast majority of them are not available when and where they are needed. Making them available to mothers, newborns, and birth attendants in resource-limited countries at the time and place of birth will require innovative and creative production, distribution, and implementation approaches.

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