Health Project

GRC Health Projects

The health project was guided by the belief that the intersections between globalization and health impact vulnerable populations in Asia and the Pacific.

The rapid distribution of medical technologies, international development of public health systems, and the overall increases in per capita income are often cited indicators of the health benefits of globalization. However, increasing inequalities between rich and poor regions challenge this assumption. Income disparities are often responsible for the underdevelopment of the socioeconomic, political and cultural structures necessary for health and well-being.

Comprised of nearly two-thirds of the world's poor, the Asia-Pacific region is therefore particularly vulnerable to the impacts of globalization on health. By identifying linkages between the dynamics of globalization and the health of populations in site-specific circumstances, the GRC Health Project will contribute to ongoing work in the Asia and Pacific regions to address health disparities among different communities. Collaborative relationships between the GRC and policymakers, academics, "think tanks," NGOs, state representatives, and community organizations in the Asia and Pacific region will help in the development of a comprehensive understanding of the influence of globalization on health. The GRC Health Project will respond to the effects of globalization on health by developing projects that address the following critical areas of public health:

Public health infrastructure
Capacity building
Exchange of information

Resources on Globalization and Health

How are globalization and health linked?

While the incidence and degree of ill health is often greater in impoverished populations, health conditions are not merely influenced by poverty. They are also strongly influenced by a variety of cultural and social factors, such as level of education, the role and status of women, and environmental factors such as potable water and sanitation. The following categories provide resources on the intersections between globalization and health.

Food security
Emerging infectious diseases
Health determinants
Global climate change
Armed conflicts/Complex emergencies
Macroeconomic policies and trade agreements
Systems of private and 'managed' care

Follow-up articles and editorials to the Public Health Conference:

To join the Globalization and Health Listserve send e-mail to:

lobalizationandhealth-subscribe@topica.com

Globalization Public Health Conference: "Collaborating for Quality of Life and Health in the Pacific," June 4 - 6, 2003

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