Going upstream – an umbrella review of the macroeconomic determinants of health and health inequalities
Year: 2019
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The social determinants of health have been widely recognised yet there remains a lack of clarity regarding what constitute the macro-economic determinants of health and what can be done to address them. An umbrella review of systematic reviews was conducted to identify the evidence for the health and health inequalities impact of population level macroeconomic factors, strategies, policies and interventions. METHODS: Nine databases were searched for systematic reviews meeting the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE) criteria using a novel conceptual framework. Studies were assessed for quality using a standardised instrument and a narrative overview of the findings is presented. RESULTS: The review found a large (n = 62) but low quality systematic review-level evidence base. The results indicated that action to promote employment and improve working conditions can help improve health and reduce gender-based health inequalities. Evidence suggests that market regulation of tobacco, alcohol and food is likely to be effective at improving health and reducing inequalities in health including strong taxation, or restriction of advertising and availability. Privatisation of utilities and alcohol sectors, income inequality, and economic crises are likely to increase health inequalities. Left of centre governments and welfare state generosity may have a positive health impact, but evidence on specific welfare interventions is mixed. Trade and trade policies were found to have a mixed effect. There were no systematic reviews of the health impact of monetary policy or of large economic institutions such as central banks and regulatory organisations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide a simple yet comprehensive framework to support policy-makers and practitioners in addressing the macroeconomic determinants of health. Further research is needed in low and middle income countries and further reviews are needed to summarise evidence in key gaps identified by this review. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Protocol for umbrella review prospectively registered with PROSPERO CRD42017068357.
Source: BMC Public Health
Authors: Yannish Naik, Peter Baker, Sharif A. Ismail, Taavi Tillmann, Kristin Bash, Darryl Quantz, Frances Hillier-Brown, Wikum Jayatunga, Gill Kelly, Michelle Black, Anya Gopfert, Peter Roderick, Ben Barr, Clare Bambra
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,390
Funders: Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration, Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Health and Care Research, British Heart Foundation, Department of Health and Social Care, Norges Forskningsråd, National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care North West Coast, Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council
Awards: G1682917203, G2279572351, Assessing and testing health system resilience in practice: modelling routine immunisation delivery in the context of large-scale population displacement in Kenya and Lebanon using system dynamics methods, G274928170, Life stress after societal and economic change, as a predictor of increased cardiovascular disease, in Central and Eastern Europe, G3590898203, G436078786, G4663722461, Life stress after societal and economic change, as a predictor of increased cardiovascular disease, in Central and Eastern Europe, Fuse, the Centre for Translational Reseach in Public Health (renewal), G5955745822, G7489991619, Assessing and testing health system resilience in practice: modelling routine immunisation delivery in the context of large-scale population displacement in Kenya and Lebanon using system dynamics methods, G8108124622, G8815203063, G8846723650
OpenAlex ID: W2996345161