Defining informal payments in healthcare: A systematic review

Abstract Objectives To explore the literature for the definitions of informal payments in healthcare and critically analyze the proposed definitions. This will serve in the process of getting to a coherent definition of informal payments, which will further support acknowledging and addressing them...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health policy (Amsterdam) 2013-05, Vol.110 (2), p.105-114
Main Authors: Cherecheş, Răzvan M, Ungureanu, Marius I, Sandu, Petru, Rus, Ioana A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Comparative analysis
Comparative research
Definitions
Developing Countries - economics
Economics, Medical
Fees, Medical
Financing, Personal
Google, Inc
Health administration
Health care
Health expenditure
Health policy
Health services
Health systems
Humans
Informal payments
Informal sector
Internal Medicine
Legal aspects
Legality
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Motivation
Payment
Payment systems
Payments
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Search strategies
Systematic review
Terminology as Topic
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Items that cite this one
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Summary:Abstract Objectives To explore the literature for the definitions of informal payments in healthcare and critically analyze the proposed definitions. This will serve in the process of getting to a coherent definition of informal payments, which will further support acknowledging and addressing them globally. Methods A search strategy was developed to identify papers addressing informal payments on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Econlit, EconPapers and Google Scholar. Results 2225 papers were identified after a first search. 61 papers were included in the systematic review. Out of all definitions provided, we selected three definitions as being original. All other definitions either cite these definitions or do not provide new insight into the topic of informal payments. Although informal payments have been nominated by various terms over the years, there is a tendency in recent years towards an agreement to use this singular term. Definitions differ in terms of the relation of informal payments with other informal activities, their legality and the motivation behind them. Conclusions The variety of forms which informal payments may take makes it difficult to define them in a comprehensive manner. However, we identified a definition that could serve as a beginning in this process. More effort is needed to build on it and get to a commonly accepted and shared definition of informal payments.
ISSN:0168-8510
1872-6054
DOI:10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.01.010