Incorporating Economic Policy Into A ‘Health-In-All-Policies’ Agenda

Abstract

Recognizing the health effects of nonhealth policies, scholars and others seeking to improve Americans' health have advocated the implementation of a culture of health-which would call attention to and prioritize health as a key outcome of policy making across all levels of government and in the private sector. Adopting this "health-in-all-policies" lens, policy makers are paying increasing attention to health impacts as they debate policies in areas such as urban planning, housing, and transportation. Yet the health impacts of economic policies that shape the distribution of income and wealth are often overlooked. Pooling data from all fifty states for the period 1990-2010, we provide a broad portrait of how economic policies affect health. Overall, we found better health outcomes in states that enacted higher tax credits for the poor or higher minimum wage laws and in states without a right-to-work law that limits union power. Notably, these policies focus on increasing the incomes of low-income and working-class families, instead of on shaping the resources available to wealthier individuals. Incorporating these findings into a health-in-all-policies agenda will require leadership from the health sector, including a willingness to step into core and polarizing debates about redistribution.

What has economics got to do with it? The impact of socioeconomic factors on mental health and the case for collective action

“…Evidence is beginning to accumulate on relevant policy actions, including labour market regulation (Katikireddi et al, 2016) and part-time sickness absence (EU Directorate General for Health and Food Safety, 2015), investment in social protection , and protective employment policies (Platt et al, 2017). In the United States, better population health outcomes have also been found in states with more progressive policies such as minimum wage and corporate tax rates (Rigby and Hatch, 2016). It has also been raised that a Universal Basic Income might positively impact on population mental health (Smith, 2016b).…”

The Interdependence of Families, Communities, and Children’s Health: Public Investments That Strengthen Families and Communities, and Promote Children’s Healthy Development and Societal Prosperity

“…Health outcomes are highest in states with minimum wage laws and higher tax credits for the poor [37]. States with more generous levels of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) also show better child health outcomes [38].…”

Health in All Policies in South Australia—Did It Promote and Enact an Equity Perspective?

“…Some have argued that addressing the social determinants of health equity requires a focus on the gradient of health inequities and “proportionate universalism”, with responses to health inequities being universal, but also incorporating proportionate, targeted actions in response to disadvantage within the population [ 7 , 17 ]. A gradient approach requires addressing the distribution of resources in society and also the power differentials to enable the flattening of the social gradient across society [ 18 ]. This approach is unlikely to be adopted by governments whose values would not encourage them to challenge power [ 19 , 20 ] and so are unwilling to take action that would provoke opposition from vested interest groups.…”

“…An increasing body of research suggests that the steepness of income inequality gradients affects overall population health and wellbeing [ 22 , 23 ]. As a result, inequities affect all members of society (by, for example reducing social cohesion), and addressing the social gradient and reducing health inequities benefits the whole population [ 18 , 24 ].…”