21.I. Round table: Comparing and designing the politics and policies for better economic and social welfare

Abstract

Abstract While the political and social determinants of health have become accepted among academic researchers, health inequalities in the health policy and political arenas are still predominantly addressed as outcomes of citizens' lifestyle and behavioural choices. The rise of populist radical parties across Western countries brings renewed urgency to communicating with elected leaders and policy makers about the importance of tackling the social (as well as behavioral and medical) determinants of health. Recent publications such as 'Health in Hard Times. Austerity and Health Inequalities' (Clare Bambra, 2019) and 'Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On' (Marmot et al, 2020) find that financial and economic policies in large part contribute to stagnating and even reversing population health trends in the UK and across Western countries. The underlying political system of decision-making needs to be clarified in order to effectively engage and exert influence. This workshop aims to strengthen countervailing power and competence in understanding the policy trajectories that effectively target the larger ambitions of economic and social welfare including reduced health inequalities. We provide participants with basic knowledge, methods and tools to carry out practice-based comparative analysis of public health politics and policies across different countries. The workshop consists of: A 20-minute mini-lecture by Julia Lynch, who will present key findings and the underlying methodology of her recent book Regimes of inequality: The political economy of health and wealth. This book systematically used historical institutionalist-methods and process tracing to compare the policies and politics aimed at reducing health inequalities in Finland, France and the UK from the 1990s to the present.A 15-minute panel reflection: The panel, consisting of Clare Bambra, Karien Stronks, and Holly Jarman, will relate this to their own key research and impact.A 25-minute plenary discussion of examples, questions and contributions to tackling inequalities in political and social determinants of health. Examples are labour market participation policies, progressive fiscal policies or policies resolving illiteracy or household financial debt. Key messages Health inequalities are a political choice. Learning by comparison increases capacity to improve policies on the social determinants of health as well as capacity to increase political influence.