Do differences in health make a difference? A review for health policymakers

While many societies have made remarkable progress in population health improvements, health inequalities remain as a central concern to health policy. There is substantial evidence to show that differences in health achievements and access to health care are increasing both within and among societies. Socio-economic and environmental health determinants are strongly associated to population health status regardless of what risk factor or technological advance is in vogue. Understanding the fundamental causes underlying the existence of health inequalities is useful for guiding health policy as it provides a direction to guide resource allocation and the targeting of policy interventions. The purpose of this paper is to review current perspectives and methods in the assessment of health inequalities with particular relevance to public health policymakers and practitioners.