Abstract
Many behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, strongly affect a population's health. Further, social, physical, and economic contexts—for example, housing, transportation, education, and employment—shape health-related behaviors. To improve a population's health, policies must include actions that alter elements of these larger contexts. But the elements are vast and complex, and resources are limited. How can policymakers determine the right priorities to focus on? Building on the emerging field of population health science, we suggest four principles to guide priority setting: view population health as a continuum, focus on affecting ubiquitous influences on health, consider the trade-offs between efficiency and equity, and evaluate return on investment. This proposal offers a novel approach to setting policy for improving health behaviors.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
