Health is about more than access to doctors and medicine. It is shaped by where we live, the air we breathe, the jobs we have, the education we receive, and the social connections we build. These factors—known as the social determinants of health (SDH)—play a fundamental role in shaping our well-being and life expectancy. In a new report from the Inter-American Development … [Read more...] about How Social Determinants Shape Health in Latin America and the Caribbean: Insights from a New Report
William Savedoff
William Savedoff was Principal Health Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank. Currently, he is a Senior Partner at Social Insight.
COVID-19 Showed Us the Path toward Universal Health Coverage
It is almost 3 years since COVID-19 began to spread, causing one of the most massive global disruptions of modern times. But it also spurred changes that hold the key to better health and better healthcare services in the future. Every aspect of the healthcare system, from basic research to vaccine distribution, from community outreach to intensive care units, … [Read more...] about COVID-19 Showed Us the Path toward Universal Health Coverage
Can We Afford a Healthy Future?
In the early 1960s, when United States healthcare expenses reached 3% of GDP, members of the U.S. Congress were so outraged that they held hearings to address such an unsustainable level of spending. The passing years have shown that 3% was not only sustainable, it was cheap. Today, healthcare spending in the United States is over 17% of GDP. The countries of … [Read more...] about Can We Afford a Healthy Future?
Time to say goodbye to tobacco
12% of the world's smokers live in Latin America and the Caribbean. Every year, tobacco use contributes to the growth of non-communicable diseases and causes one million deaths in the region. So if tobacco is the most preventable cause of death, how can countries get their populations to stop smoking? … [Read more...] about Time to say goodbye to tobacco
Four reasons why labor taxes are not a good way to finance healthcare in low- and middle-income countries
The COVID-19 pandemic has led millions of people to simultaneously lose their jobs and their health coverage, making the idea of funding health insurance with labor taxes look like a pretty bad idea. Yet the flaws of labor-tax financed social health insurance are not news to people who have reviewed the history and evidence of social health insurance, as explained in a newly … [Read more...] about Four reasons why labor taxes are not a good way to finance healthcare in low- and middle-income countries