Political Determinants of Health

Political Determinants of Health

As more and more individuals and institutions have begun to recognize the structural and institutional barriers to health equity, and subsequently have begun grappling with such, the opportunity to introduce a new framework that disrupts that status quo and get to the true drivers of the disparities has presented itself.

The Political determinants of health involve the systematic process of structuring relationships, distributing resources, and administering power, operating simultaneously in ways that mutually reinforce or influence one another to shape opportunities that either advance health equity or exacerbate health inequities. - Daniel E. Dawes (2020), The Political Determinants of Health, Johns Hopkins University Press

The political determinants of health create the social drivers - including poor environmental conditions, inadequate transportation, unsafe neighborhoods, and lack of healthy food options - that affect all other dynamics of health. By understanding these determinants, their origins, and their impact on the equitable distribution of opportunities and resources, we can be better equipped to develop and implement actionable solutions to close the health gap. SHLI will continue to be at the forefront of research of the political determinants of health dissemination.

NASEM PRES (7)

Daniel E. Dawes (2020), The Political Determinants of Health, Johns Hopkins University Press

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