Globalization and Health

Boldly situating public health and wellbeing within the dynamic forces of global development, Globalization and Health is a pioneering, transdisciplinary ...

List of Papers (Total 1,374)

Reserve antibiotics: overcoming limitations of evidence generated from regulatory approval trials

New antibiotics active against multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR-B) are licensed by regulatory agencies based on pivotal trials that serve the primary purpose of obtaining marketing-authorization. There is increasing concern that they do not offer guidance on how to best use new antibiotics, in which population, and to what extent they overcome existing resistance. We reviewed...

Understanding global mobility of dietetic talents: a survey study of overseas-educated dietetic returnees in China

Although international mobility of medical personnel has gained scholarly attention, there has been limited empirical research on overseas-educated dietetic professionals. China has experienced a notable return of highly skilled professionals. This study aims to explore the experiences of Chinese overseas-educated dietetic returnees, focusing on their practice areas, job...

Brazil’s experiment to expand its medical workforce through private and public schools: Impacts and consequences of the balance of regulatory and market forces in resource-scarce settings

There is a global shortage of doctors, and governments worldwide are concerned with expanding national medical workforces to improve services. Since 2013 the Government of Brazil has introduced the Mais Médicos (More Doctors) Legislation (MML), which included policies to liberalise the medical education market and boost deployment to rural areas, and implemented quotas in public...

Cross-border precarity: the complex strain on expatriates and their families amidst public health crisis

This paper presents a conceptual model for understanding cross-border precarity during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how public health emergencies exacerbate the challenges faced by expatriates and their families in cross-border contexts. The case study illustrates the complex nature of precarity, emphasising how its various forms like systemic, institutional, economic...

The devil’s in the detail: an appraisal of the use of innovative financing mechanisms for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response

This is the first published study examining whether, and to what degree, innovative financing could effectively support the financing needs of the global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) agenda. Background: What is already known? In the context of global health, innovative financing encompasses a range of financial instruments that supplement international...

Alcohol industry involvement in the delayed South Africa Draft Liquor Amendment Bill 2016: a case study based on freedom of information requests

South Africa is reported to have one of the highest per capita rates of alcohol consumption among drinkers globally, with alcohol harms exacerbating socio-economic inequalities in the country. The Draft Liquor Amendment Bill 2016 proposed new restrictions on alcohol advertising, availability, and liability of retailers and manufacturers for harm related to any contravention of...

Immigrant workers in the meat industry during COVID-19: comparing governmental protection in Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA

The meat industry showcases the precarity of employment arrangements as part of broader global economic liberalization. In many countries, its workforce consists mostly of precariously employed immigrant and resident foreign-born workers. Categorized as “essential workers”, they worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while facing high infection risk. Using case-studies in three...

Navigating global health diplomacy: challenges and opportunities in building a community of practice

Addressing global health challenges requires complex coordination and collaboration between actors, often through the process of Global Health Diplomacy (GHD). Although considerable scholarship argues the importance of improving this process to build better health policies and systems, few studies have investigated the ‘health diplomats’ directly leading this work. In this study...

Corruption risks in COVID-19 vaccine deployment: lessons learned for future pandemic preparedness

During the COVID-19 pandemic corruption risks were amplified in health systems globally, increasing health inequities within and between countries. During the pandemic, the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly concerning their procurement and distribution, had corruption risks given the large amounts of public and private funding allocated to them, the need for speed...

Equity of National Essential Public Health Services (NEPHS) in Mainland China, 2019: a cross-sectional study based on the NEPHS database

China’s National Essential Public Health Service (NEPHS) Program was launched in 2009 to deliver population-based public health and individual health management services to all residents at 800,000 primary health-care centers nationwide. This study assessed NEPHS utilization data and evaluated usage inequities using comprehensive nationwide data. A cross-sectional study was...

Stakeholder perceptions on the impact of trade and investment agreements on nutrition policy space in small island developing states

Trade liberalisation has contributed to obesogenic food environments globally. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have some of the world’s highest rates of obesity and nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases. Nutrition regulations have been recognised as necessary population health measures for combating malnutrition, however, legally-binding trade and investment agreements...

Normative convergence between global health security and universal health coverage: a qualitative analysis of international health negotiations in the wake of COVID-19

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO Thirteenth General Programme of Work underscored the importance of mitigating health emergencies while ensuring accessible and affordable health services. Central to these efforts are global health security (GHS) and universal health coverage (UHC), which act both as standalone goals and as cross-cutting approaches to health...

A political economy analysis of the legislative response to unhealthy food and beverage marketing in Chile, Canada and the UK

United Nations bodies call for legal responses to restrict children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing; however, few governments have introduced legislative controls. This research studies the underlying political economy influences that impacted the introduction of legal responses. We used a multiple case study methodology to examine the political economy influences on the...

States, global power and access to medicines: a comparative case study of China, India and the United States, 2000–2019

What constitutes state`s global power to shape access to medicines? How was it distributed between states and how did this change from 2000 to 2019? In this comparative case study, we explored the powers of China, India and the United States, and discuss whether our findings from the pre-pandemic era were reflected in the global COVID-19 response related to pharmaceuticals. We...

Awareness and knowledge regarding female genital schistosomiasis among European healthcare workers: a cross-sectional online survey

Adequate knowledge and awareness regarding diseases are essential for appropriate, high-quality healthcare. Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) is a non-sexually transmitted gynaecological disease that is caused by the presence of Schistosoma haematobium eggs in the female genital tract and the resulting immune response that causes tissue damage. It is estimated to affect 56...

Commentary on “Social protection and the International Monetary Fund: promise versus performance” by Alexander Kentikelenis and Thomas Stubbs

The Covid pandemic and its aftermath have triggered new alarm and social unrest across the Global South over the deepening international debt crisis that now threatens to derail Universal Health Coverage (UHC), other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), future pandemic preparedness, and global warming mitigation. The recent Globalization and Health article by Alex Kentikelenis...

An exploratory case study of food sharing practices in Caribbean countries through a transition lens using intergenerational dyad interviews

Caribbean populations face complex health issues related to diet and food security as they undergo a rapid nutrition transition, resulting in some of the world’s highest number of premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Despite policy efforts to promote local and regional food consumption, reliance on food imports remains high with many Caribbean countries...

China’s position and competitiveness in the global antibiotic value chain: implications for global health

Antibiotics are a key commodity for global health, and inadequate access is a major contributor to global mortality. COVID-19 has refocused attention on global pharmaceutical value chains and the need for sustainable and secure production and supply of key products, including antibiotics. Production of antibiotics and their active pharmaceutical ingredients is capital- and...

“We have to look deeper into why”: perspectives on problem identification and prioritization of women’s and girls’ health across United Nations agencies

Eliminating gender inequality and promoting population health are stand-alone goals in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is crucial to understand goal setting and policy making processes aimed at promoting gender and health equality given the entrenched and structural natures of these inequalities. Our research examines the process of problem and solution...

Women’s exposure to commercial milk formula marketing: a WHO multi-country market research study

Marketing of commercial milk formula (CMF) is well resourced and has influenced societal beliefs and practices that have undermined breastfeeding. This has occurred despite legislation in many countries largely reflecting the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in seven countries: Bangladesh, Mexico...

Predicting the risk of malaria importation into Jiangsu Province, China: a modeling study

The World Health Organization certified China malaria-free in 2021. Consequently, preventing the risk of malaria re-introduction caused by imported malaria has now become a major challenge. This study aims to characterize the dynamics and predict the risk of malaria importation in Jiangsu Province, where the number of imported malaria cases ranks among the highest in China. The...

Experiences of violence while in insecure migration status: a qualitative evidence synthesis

The global movement of people in the context of strict immigration laws and policies places significant numbers of people in insecure migration status worldwide. Insecure status leaves people without recourse to legal, governmental or social protection from violence and abuse. This review synthesized qualitative studies that reported how migrants associated physical and...

Impacts of economic sanctions on population health and health system: a study at national and sub-national levels from 2000 to 2020 in Iran

Formal evidence regarding the effects of sanctions on population health status and the health system is scarse in Iran. Given the intricate and multifaceted nature of sanctions, a nuanced understanding of their impact is imperative. We aimed to investigate the magnitude and effects of sanctions on population health and healthcare system during the last two decades in Iran. This...

Schools of public health as a cornerstone for pandemic preparedness and response: the Africa COVID-19 experience

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused significant morbidity and mortality in Africa, in addition to other socio-economic consequences. Across the continent, Schools of Public Health (SPHs) played several roles in supporting national, regional, and global response to the pandemic. Following a published and grey literature search, this paper reviews and analyses the...

Harnessing genomic technologies for one health solutions in the tropics

The targeted application of cutting-edge high-throughput molecular data technologies provides an enormous opportunity to address key health, economic and environmental issues in the tropics within the One Health framework. The Earth’s tropical regions are projected to contain > 50% of the world’s population by 2050 coupled with 80% of its biodiversity however these regions are...