Martin McKee – författare

This book explores the impact of globalisation, economic policies, war and violence, trade and reproductive ideologies on global health and health services. It offers examples, both successful and unsuccessful, of international co-operative efforts to address these multiple issues, citing international collaboration of health professional organisations such as Jubilee 2000. It questions the efficacy, ideology and scope of several of the leading players, such as WHO, World Bank and many NGOs that are trying to address these issues, as well as pointing out the emergence of international organisations whose activities harm health, such as arms and tobacco traders. International Co-operation and Health focuses on those public health issues that cross national boundaries. In order to put effective policy into place, considerable international co- operation is necessary. It is primarily about international collaboration to promote health of the world's population. This book looks at the how international collaboration can and does help to tackle current and emerging public health problems. It covers issues such as emerging and re-emerging infectious disease; health consequences of global environment change; trade, public health and food; war: from humanitarian relief to prevention; the global tobacco epidemic; migration, equity and health and international co-operation for reproductive health. The overall thrust is to suggest that health professionals are uniquely placed to help develop organisations and policies, which by capitalising on their good track record on international co-operation, they would be in a relatively strong position to implement to the benefit of global health. The book is directed at a broad group of health policy makers and (public) health professionals internationally, especially those working in NGOs and international organisations but also those interested in the impact of global issues in their own country. This is an area of great interest and importance. It is seen as a priority area for a number of international bodies e.g. WHO. The contributors are of international standing. There is no book on the market, which addresses the issues as proposed in this book. Professor Martin McKee is chief editor of the European Journal of Public Health (OUP).

Health care systems in developed countries must respond to increasingly diverse populations given greater population movements as a result of globalization. We all share a common humanity yet we each have different health care needs, depending on whether we are young or old, men or women, rich or poor, disabled or able-bodied, from different ethnic and indigenous groups, or citizens or asylum-seekers. Our membership of these societal groups shapes to some extent our health needs and our use of health services. But policy-makers and professionals often seem blind to this diversity. Some groups make special claims upon the state and have different expectations regarding health care. What are the barriers to people receiving equitable health care? Should mainstream services be made more responsive to the needs of different people, or is it necessary to set up alternative health care services? The chapters in this book discuss countries and population groups that illustrate different responses to claimant groups and different ways of delivering health services.For the first time this book brings draws together examples of how to deal with diversity from health systems across the industrialized world. It considers population groups within countries and takes a broad approach, studying inherent population diversity (age, sex), citizen issues (migrants, asylum seekers) and ethnic and indigenous groups (multiculturalism in the UK, Roma in Europe, New Zealand Maori, Australian Aborigines). It identifies barriers to accessing health care services by diverse populations and cultural groups within different countries and considers the advantages and disadvantages of different delivery models for different population groups.This book provides an unparalleled breadth of perspectives from which to draw conclusions about how to meet the needs of societies characterised by diversity.

In 1997 the World Health Organisation introduced the concept of "health targets" - a framework for government policies designed to enhance the health of citizens. Health targets have since developed as major instruments of public policy in Europe. The book focuses on improving health throughout Europe and discusses the strategies for doing this at all levels from small initiatives to nationwide programmes. Written by experts in the field the chapters include overviews of the history of health trageting in Europe, the philosophical and moral implications of health targeting, range of values and beliefs that underpin it and the visions for the future of health governance in Europe.