Congress

The IHEA congress, held every second year, is the only global forum for health economists to engage around the latest methodological developments, present recent research findings and explore the implications of this research for health policy and practice. The IHEA congress includes presentations across the full spectrum of health economics’ fields.

Upcoming Congress

The 15th IHEA World Congress on Health Economics will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from July 8-12, 2023. The Health Economics Unit of the University of Cape Town, which is the oldest health economics research centre in Africa, will host the congress.

Click here to view the short congress invitation video and preview some of what Cape Town has to offer!

Congress Timeline

August 2022 Abstract submissions open
29 November 2022 Abstract submission closes
Mid December 2022 through January 2023 Abstract review process
February 2023 Program chairs finalize decisions on abstracts
By 8 March 2023 Abstract submitters informed of Scientific Committee decision
31 March 2023 Deadline for registration of those with accepted abstracts
April 2023 Program scheduling
By 8 May 2023 Program released and presenters informed of date & time of session
30 June 2023 Deadline for submission of presentations and e-posters
8-9 July 2023 Pre-congress sessions
Evening 9 July – 12 July Main congress

Abstract
Submissions
Registration
and Participation
Congress
Program
Scientific
Committee
Congress
Sponsors

Abstract Submissions

Abstract submission will open in August 2022.

Given IHEA’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, including ethical collaborative research practices and fair opportunities to present research, we strongly advocate for the presentation of research by local researchers from the country which is the subject of the research.

Two categories of abstracts can be submitted:

An individual abstract to be considered for inclusion in a contributed oral or poster session, made up of four papers or eight posters on a similar topic.
An organized session proposal including three to four presentations with one or more discussants (please seek a balance of presenters by gender, career stage and geographic location).

CLICK HERE to download a template for organized session proposals to assist in compiling all relevant information before entering the abstract system.

If an organized session proposal is not accepted on review, papers within that session will NOT automatically be considered for acceptance as individual abstracts.

You may submit a maximum of two abstracts where you would be the presenter. So, you could submit a maximum of:

two individual abstracts;
one individual abstract and one as part of an organized session; or
presentations as part of two organized sessions

You will be asked to select a health economics field when submitting an abstract, to assist in assigning your abstract to an expert in your field for peer review and for program organization purposes. Please identify the most appropriate field and sub-fields from the following list before submitting your abstract.

Fields and Sub-fields of Health Economics

1. Health, its distribution and its valuation

The burden of disease
Distribution of health
Valuation of health (including human capital, labour market outcomes, wellbeing)
Values (preferences, market values)
Health outcome measurement
Non-health outcome measurement (including capability, wellbeing)
Equity in health outcomes

2. Health beyond health care services: social and related determinants

Social determinants of health (e.g. gender, education, income, wealth, employment, relative deprivation, financial crises, cultural shocks)
Environmental determinants of health (e.g. pollution, natural disasters)
Family economics and social interaction
Non-medical health promotion interventions and policies

3. Health beyond health care services: health behaviors

Risky health behaviors (alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, opioids, risky sexual behaviors, poor nutrition, etc.)
Health enhancing behaviors (exercise, sleep, stress managements, etc.)
Behavioral economics and health production
Interventions and policies targeting health behaviors

4. Demand & utilization of health care services

Demand for health insurance
Demand for insurance for disability and long-term care
Demand for health & health care, including for specific services
Influences on utilization (including gender, insurance coverage, out-of-pocket payments)
Barriers to access (including informational, financial, gender issues, behaviour biases, preferences)

5. Supply and regulation of health care services and products

Health care labour markets (including education, agency relationships)
Care setting (including community-based and other primary care, hospitals, long-term care, integrated care, mental health services, hospice, dental services)
Public health services
Pharmaceutical products and medical devices
Digital health (ehealth / mhealth / telehealth)
Genomics and precision medicine
Efficient provision of health services
Competition and market failure in health care supply
System organisation (including private for-profit, not-for-profit, public, mixed, vertical integration)
Regulation
Quality of care
Rationing (including waiting lists) and priority setting

6. Health care financing & expenditures

Voluntary health insurance, including competition, moral hazard, selection effects, risk variation and regulation
Mandatory health insurance, including risk-equalization and pool integration
Fiscal space for government funding of health care
Financing for Universal Health Coverage, including financial risk protection and reducing pool fragmentation
Strategic purchasing, including benefits design, contracting, provider payment mechanisms (including pay-for performance), drug pricing
National health accounts
Health care spending trends

7. Economic evaluation of health and care interventions

8. Health system performance

Efficiency at the health system level
Equity in financing, access and quality of care
Distributional aspects of health policy (socio-economic, gender, geographic, etc.)
Impact assessment of system wide policy change

9. Cross-cutting themes and other issues

Theoretical developments
Political economy of health care
Inclusivity and diversity: decolonization, all forms of discrimination, lived experience
Teaching health economics
Cross-cutting methods: Econometric developments
Cross-cutting methods: Microsimulation
Cross-cutting methods: Qualitative health economics research
Cross-cutting methods: Stated Preference

Specific populations and conditions

In addition to selecting a primary field from the options above, can select one of these if relevant:

Congress registration and onsite participation

Congress registration will open on 3 March, 2023.

Congress program

The draft program will be available by 8 May 2023.

Scientific Committee

The Scientific Committee (SC) plays a critical role in IHEA congresses given that the program is based on abstracts accepted through a rigorous peer-review process. An open call is issued for IHEA members to express their interest in serving on the panel to review abstracts submitted for each congress. Those who have served on the SC Review Panel for at least two recent congresses are eligible to be considered to serve as Program Chairs. There are two to three Program Chairs for each health economics field, who work together to finalize the abstract acceptances (from the review panel scores) and compile individual abstracts into coherent sessions. To be considered for the position of overall SC Co-Chair, an IHEA member needs to have served as a Program Chair for at least two recent congresses.

Members of the Scientific Committee for the 2023 Congress are listed below.