Beyond the Health Concentration Index: An Atkinson alternative for the measurement of the socioeconomic inequality of health

The Health Concentration Index is a frequently used indicator for the measurement of the socioeconomic inequality of health. This note starts from a discussion of some of the weaknesses of this index. It then presents two possible alternative measures. The first is an adaptation of the Concentration Index. The second and more important of the two is constructed by following an Atkinson approach.

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