Daniel E. Dawes - The political determinants of health

Daniel Dawess groundbreaking and illuminating work on the political determinants of health will change how we think about the drivers of our health and well-being. It is one of the most important books in health policy to be written in years. T HOMAS A . L A V EIST, PhD, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine

Daniel Dawes makes an engaging and important contribution to the health equity discourse with this book. He is also one of the few people in the country who could make this contribution. Because Dawes has been intimately engaged in the workings of government, he has a deep firsthand understanding of the political determinants of health. Moreover, he has a sweeping view of the historical movements that have contributed to the complexities of the American health care system. Dawes brings all of these threads to bear in this book and manages to make them relevant to the health equity movement today. D AYNA B OWEN M ATTHEW, JD, PhD, University of Virginia Law School

Daniel Dawes insightfully argues that we have to be mindful of more than the social determinants of health. More specifically, he indicates that the political determinants of health are actually far more impactful and can be far more insidious when not properly addressed, given that the American political process is the foremost avenue for implementing change. He demonstrates that many challenges recognized as social determinants are the result of political determinants. I commend Professor Dawes for not only creating a detailed framework that outlines the political determinants of health but also providing us with timely enlightenment about the challenges that we are facing. D AVID R. W ILLIAMS, PhD, MPH, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Daniel Dawes presents another thought-provoking book showing us why addressing social determinants of health, while critically important, is merely nibbling around the edges of the problem. This book lays the groundwork for a transformation in how we think about advancing health equity by tackling the political determinants of health. B RIAN S MEDLEY, PhD, American Psychological Association

I have used Daniel Dawess prior work, 150 Years of ObamaCare, in my classes for the past three years. The book provided the students with a solid foundation and important insight into the history of the Affordable Care Act and the US health equity movement. Dawes has now followed that with another groundbreaking book. In The Political Determinants of Health, he unveils a trailblazing model built on the latest evidence, clearly identifying the factors vital to any effective effort to address health inequities. The political determinants of health are key to understanding the myriad factors that contribute to inequities faced by underserved and marginalized communities. And they highlight a basic realitythat public health is inherently political. Dawes presents a road map for addressing the factors at the root of health outcomes in this country. This engaging book is a must-read for community members; policy makers; health professionals; social services professionals; behavioral health, public health, and health care leaders; advocates; academics; and future health professionals. M ARTHA M OORE- M ONROY, MA, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona

Politics shapes policy and policy impacts health. This text takes an insightful look at politics as a societal factor that determines public health. It is an essential read for anyone who strives to make the United States among the healthiest nations. G EORGES C. B ENJAMIN, MD, American Public Health Association

The social determinants of health were an important advancement in our understanding of health. Now Daniel E. Dawes takes our understanding even further by developing a multidisciplinary framework explaining how policy and politics are tremendous drivers of the social conditions that affect all communities in a positive and negative way. Indeed, to truly address health, mental health, and substance use inequities, we need to understand their origins and their impact on the equitable distribution of opportunities and resources. The Political Determinants of Health does just that! O CTAVIO N. M ARTINEZ Jr. , MD, MPH, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, The University of Texas at Austin

This book shines a light on one of the most important aspects of modern life that impacts our nations health. The role of politics and how it can diminish or worsen health equity has not been fully articulated in such a cohesive manner. This book will not only become an important guide for understanding health equity in America but will also serve as an essential tool for academic training and mentoring in higher education. M ARIO H ERNANDEZ, PhD, University of South Florida

Daniel E. Dawes elucidates a critical front in the drive to advance health equity: political determinants of health. Wise public policies and public support are essential to dismantle the structural drivers of inequities and create payment reforms that support and incentivize the tailored care that reduces health disparities. M ARSHALL H. C HIN, MD, MPH, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

According to the World Health Organization, the distribution of money, power, and resources at the global, national, and local levels is what ultimately shapes our health and survival. This puts health, health care, and health equity squarely in the political domain. By shining a powerful light on the political determinants of health, Dawes compels us to face critical drivers of health and well-being in the United States today. L AUDAN A RON, MA, Urban Institute

Daniel E. Dawes continues to disrupt dominant narratives in this timely, groundbreaking book. So much of what creates and determines health happens outside of the doctors office and hospital walls. Dawes pushes us all to move beyond our comfort zone of solely elevating the social and structural determinants of health and helps us to better understand the political drivers that produce optimal health for some and inequities for others. A LETHA M AYBANK, MD, MPH, Chief Health Equity Officer and Vice President, American Medical Association

Daniel Dawes forces a conversation that we can no longer afford to ignore with this impressively original and powerful book. In The Political Determinants of Health, readers will be challenged, motivated, and inspired to adopt a more expansive view of the role that political determinants play on our nations health. Arguably the most important book written on the driving force that has prevented us from realizing health equity in America and around the world. P ATRICK J. K ENNEDY, former congressman, founder of The Kennedy Forum, author of A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction

I was immediately struck by Daniel Dawess insights in The Political Determinants of Health. This new concept will deepen the space loosely captured by structural determinants of health with a more foundational anchor. M ARGARET P. M OSS, JD (Hidatsa/Dakota), Director, First Nations House of Learning; School of Nursing, University of British Columbia

In his latest book, Daniel Dawes, a leader on health inequalities in the United States, takes a critical look at the work on the margins of the social determinants of health. He pushes back, arguing that political determinants of health are the fundamental issue, requiring a global answer to begin to achieve health equity. Im looking forward to sharing this book with my students. C AROLYN A. P OINTER, JD , Southern Illinois University School of Medicine