November 12, 2009
Don't Forget About The Other Determinants of Health
Gail Wilensky, Senior Fellow Project HOPE has written a column for Kaiser Health News concerning what is being missed in the health care reform debate.
While recent discussion has become heated about insurance coverage, the focus on the health needs and disparities that cause poor health have largely been ignored.
Wilensky is former commissioner on the World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. Her work there was focused on relationships of poverty, education, early childhood education, the treatment of women and individual empowerment to health and life expectancy issues. She points out,
"As we struggle through this first round of health care reform, it is important that we remember that the ultimate goal is to provide for a healthier America. Improving the conditions in which people are born and live, age and die may be at least as important as reforming health care in achieving this goal."
To read more of her column, click here to get the Kaiser Health News link.
Posted by Staff at 09:55 AM
Category: Disparities; Education; Health; care; determinants; of; reform; social