Health Equity in Climate Change and Health Policies: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The complex interconnections between climate change policies and health equity are well established, and policy research to understand the health impacts of climate change in multiple domains is growing. Policy analysis theories/frameworks are an important aspect of policy analysis. Many frameworks exist to understand the health equity considerations in policies across various disciplines and the health impacts of climate change-related policies in the health and climate change sectors. However, a closer examination is required to understand whether there is explicit attention to health equity issues in relation to climate change policies in an integrated way. This systematic review attempted to identify existing health equity-focused policy analysis frameworks for understanding health equity considerations in climate change and public health policies. Eight papers were identified through five database searches. Policy analysis frameworks exploring the integration of health equity and climate change are fragmented, and frameworks encompassing several aspects of the policy-making process could not be found. Problem framing and policy-focused solutions were common approaches to understanding health equity in climate change policies. Concepts of social determinants of health and social justice were central to the intersection of climate change and health equity.