The Political Determinants of Health, Daniel E. Dawes
The Political Determinants of Health, Daniel E. Dawes
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The Political Determinants of Health

Author: Daniel E. Dawes, David R. Williams

Narrator: David Marantz

Unabridged: 7 hr 37 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/29/2020


Synopsis

Reduced life expectancy, worsening health outcomes, health inequity, and declining health care options—these are now realities for most Americans. However, in a country of more than 325 million people, addressing everyone's issues is challenging. How can we effect beneficial change for everyone so we all can thrive? What is the great equalizer?

In this book, Daniel E. Dawes argues that political determinants of health create the social drivers—including poor environmental conditions, inadequate transportation, unsafe neighborhoods, and lack of healthy food options—that affect all other dynamics of health. By understanding these determinants, their origins, and their impact on the equitable distribution of opportunities and resources, we will be better equipped to develop and implement actionable solutions to close the health gap.

Dawes draws on his firsthand experience helping to shape major federal policies, including the Affordable Care Act, to describe the history of efforts to address the political determinants that have resulted in health inequities. Taking us further upstream to the underlying source of the causes of inequities, Dawes examines the political decisions that lead to our social conditions, makes the social determinants of health more accessible, and provides a playbook for how we can address them effectively.

About Daniel E. Dawes

Daniel E. Dawes is the director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine who has been at the forefront of recent major federal health policy negotiations in the United States. The cofounder of the Health Equity Leadership and Exchange Network (HELEN), he is the author of 150 Years of ObamaCare.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lukas on June 03, 2023

Political Determinants of Health are a critical topic that I feel should consistently be discussed alongside the more-mentioned Social Determinants of Health. I enjoyed the opening allegory and writing in chapters 1-3. Chapters 4-6 are a detailed play-by-play of the politics surrounding the ACA, spe......more

Goodreads review by Michael on October 17, 2021

Strong history of the political history of health care in America plus a detailed recounting of the author's experience in the passing of the ACA. Less well developed is the 'model' for political determinants of health, which is descriptive but doesn't seem to offer a truly explanatory insight into......more

Goodreads review by Julia on January 03, 2024

This book laid a good theoretical framework and I wholeheartedly agree with Dawes’ assessment that we need to pay more attention to the political determinants of health as they are ultimately what influence the social determinants of health as well as other factors. I especially liked the model that......more

Goodreads review by Erica Li on May 30, 2023

This is definitely an interesting framework. I love more and more that in the field of public health we're diving into societal issues that have directly and indirectly harmed health outcomes in the U.S. ESPECIALLY for people of color. I will be following Dawes throughout my career .......more

Goodreads review by Anam on October 16, 2020

Talking about injustice and inequity between communities isn’t new for the world, it drives from ages and continues to perform tasks. But what this book does, splitter some light in-depth on the rotten structure of the healthcare, which had two faces, and showed up as per the community, people belon......more