Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2018 | Commentary
Punching above their weight: a network to understand broader determinants of increasing life expectancy
Authors:
Fran Baum, Jennie Popay, Toni Delany-Crowe, Toby Freeman, Connie Musolino, Carlos Alvarez-Dardet, Vinya Ariyaratne, Kedar Baral, Paulin Basinga, Mary Bassett, David M. Bishai, Mickey Chopra, Sharon Friel, Elsa Giugliani, Hideki Hashimoto, James Macinko, Martin McKee, Huong Thanh Nguyen, Nikki Schaay, Orielle Solar, Sundararaman Thiagarajan, David Sanders
Published in:
International Journal for Equity in Health
|
Issue 1/2018
Login to get access
Abstract
Background
Life expectancy initially improves rapidly with economic development but then tails off. Yet, at any level of economic development, some countries do better, and some worse, than expected – they either punch above or below their weight. Why this is the case has been previously researched but no full explanation of the complexity of this phenomenon is available.
New research network
In order to advance understanding, the newly formed Punching Above Their Weight Research Network has developed a model to frame future research. It provides for consideration of the following influences within a country: political and institutional context and history; economic and social policies; scope for democratic participation; extent of health promoting policies affecting socio-economic inequities; gender roles and power dynamics; the extent of civil society activity and disease burdens.
Conclusion
Further research using this framework has considerable potential to advance effective policies to advance health and equity.