Health and Social Justice: Politics, Ideology, and Inequity in the Distribution of Disease (Public Health/Vulnerable Populations) [Paperback]

Richard Hofrichter (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 10, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0787967335 | ISBN-13: 978-0787967338 | Edition: 1

Health and Social Justice draws on the growing body of recent literature to offer a comprehensive collection of articles written by a panel of expert contributors who represent a broad range of fields?sociology, epidemiology, public health, ecology, politics, organizing, and advocacy. Each article explores a particular aspect of health inequalities and demonstrates how the sources of health inequalities are rooted in injustices associated with racism, sex discrimination, and social class. This important book examines the political implications of various perspectives used to explain health inequities and explores alternative strategies for eliminating them. Health and Social Justice covers a broad spectrum of topics and

• Analyzes the politics of health inequities
• Shows how market values often dominate over collective needs for well-being
• Examines the politics of methodology and its implications for research and public policy
• Critiques the ideological implications of contemporary health promotion as a model for public health
• Reviews approaches that influence the social determinants of health
• Evaluates strategies drawn from the European experience, and others, aimed at eliminating health inequities
• Proposes principles for action and research
• Analyzes the role of the mass media in influencing the conceptualization of public health issues

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Health is an asset and a resource critical to human development that benefits society as a whole. But realizing health for all members of society is a matter of social justice, which depends on reducing social and economic inequality and increasing democracy.

Health and Social Justice draws on the growing body of recent literature to offer a comprehensive collection of articles written by a panel of expert contributors who represent a broad range of fields–sociology, epidemiology, public health, ecology, politics, organizing, and advocacy. Each article explores a particular aspect of health inequalities and demonstrates how the sources of health inequalities are rooted in injustices associated with racism, social class, and sex discrimination . This important book examines the political implications of various perspectives used to explain health inequities and explores alternative strategies for eliminating them. Health and Social Justice covers a broad spectrum of topics and

• Analyzes the politics of health inequities
• Shows how market values often dominate over collective needs for well-being
• Examines the politics of methodology and its implications for research and public policy
• Critiques the ideological implications of contemporary health promotion as a model for public health
• Reviews approaches that influence the social determinants of health
• Evaluates strategies drawn from the European experience, and others, aimed at eliminating health inequities
• Proposes principles for action and research
• Analyzes the role of the mass media in influencing the conceptualization of public health issues

Health and Social Justice is written for students, faculty, and public health professionals as well as social policymakers, sociologists, and others who are concerned with the increasing inequities in health status.

About the Author

Richard Hofrichter is a writer and social critic. He is the author of Reclaiming the Environmental Debate: The Politics of Health in a Toxic Culture (2000), and the editor of Toxic Struggles: The Theory and Practice of Environmental Justice (1993) and Neighborhood Justice in Capitalist Society: The Expansion of the Informal State (1987).

Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (November 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787967335
• ISBN-13: 978-0787967338
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 1.3 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #90 in Books > Medical Books > Administration & Medicine Economics > Health Risk Assessment

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book incredibly timely..., February 7, 2004

By 

Dennis Raphael (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Health and Social Justice: Politics, Ideology, and Inequity in the Distribution of Disease (Public Health/Vulnerable Populations) (Paperback)

With the onset of an election year, Richard Hofrichter's book Social Justice and Health is incredibly timely and important. Despite being the 2nd richest nation in the world (only Luxembourg has a higher average GDP), Americans have one of the worst health profiles. The contributers to Hofrichter's book points out the many reasons why this is the case: The USA has the greatets proportion of citizens in low paying jobs, has the greatest number of poor people, and the greatest gap between rich and poor. This condition is made worse by its especially low spending on social infrastructure and on services that support the citizenry.

This profile is a result of policy decisions made by governments and endorsed by many Americans for whom these decisions are clearly not in their own interest. The book outlines many policy solutions, but such solutions will require that there is recognition of the fundamental injustice of the profound economic inequality present in the US.

Another important aspects of the book is the documenting of the strong links between political, economic, and social aspects of a society and the health of its citizenry. Americians and others need to be made aware that the primary determinants of whether they stay healthy or not is not whether they exercise, eat fruits and vegetables but rather the economic and social conditions to which they are subjected.

This book is a must-read for anyone working in health care, public health, social services or any sector concerned with the well-being of citizens. It will be especially of interest for the well-educated general reader concerned with the direction in which American public policy is moving.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Social Justice, March 16, 2007

By 

Joseph J Grenier "jjg MD PhD" (Aurora, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Health and Social Justice: Politics, Ideology, and Inequity in the Distribution of Disease (Public Health/Vulnerable Populations) (Paperback)

Discusses the health effects of lower income, poverty, capitalism, injustices, and so on. Well written. Irreplaceable text on the subject matter.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, January 20, 2012

By 

Mark Page - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Health and Social Justice: Politics, Ideology, and Inequity in the Distribution of Disease (Public Health/Vulnerable Populations) (Paperback)

An excellent overview of the deficit in the underlying values that comprise the American system of public health. I would consider this required reading for any student of public health as well as informative and compelling for the general public.