Chapter 21 Chapter Summary

Wealthier societies are healthier over the long term, but it is a mistake to assume that health improvements will necessarily follow from policies that promote economic growth. The chapter explains this point while introducing the concepts of social determinants of health and socio-economic gradients in health, which are present in both rich and poor societies. It then explores the health risks and implications of social transformations associated with economic globalization. The next section describes a changing landscape of global health policy, now populated by multiple actors often driven by competing agendas. The chapter concludes with reflections on the prospects for improving global health in a world where continued mobilization of urgently needed resources for health systems is uncertain, and new and predatory forms of global capitalism are emerging. This chapter explores the impact of COVID-19 on health and development.