Population ageing: a global health crisis?

6.1 How does globalisation impact on health?

You will now look at the different ways that globalisation might impact on health.

Activity 6 Globalisation: benefits and risks to health

Allow about 45 minutes

Listen to Audio 2 by Professor Ilona Kickbusch on the impact of globalisation. Using information from this audio and the article by Lee that you read in Activity 5, start to fill out the table below on how globalisation can affect health. If you have any additional ideas, add these to the table too.  

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Audio 2 The impact of globalisation

Table 3 How globalisation can affect health

Dimension Benefits for health (direct and indirect) Risks to health (direct and indirect)
Economic integration
Technological innovation
Increased mobility
Environmental factors

Discussion

The table below shows how globalisation can impact health, including what you may have gathered from the audio and reading, as well as some additional points you may have thought of.

Table 3 How globalisation can affect health – completed

Dimension Benefits for health (direct and indirect) Risks to health (direct and indirect)
Economic integration

Rising living standards

Investments in education and health

Economic recessions likely to impact globally, threatening living standards

Increasing gap between poor and rich nations

Companies in high-income countries exporting health-damaging products (for example, tobacco and fast food) to low- and middle-income countries

Technological innovation

Decline in production costs – cheaper food and medicines, for example

ICT communications can support education and economic development

Improved management of global health risks as can respond quicker

Digital divide – poor do not have access to innovation

More effective marketing of health-damaging products (such as tobacco)

Increased mobility

Economic migration boosts poor countries’ income

Travel promotes cultural exchange and innovation

Migration of healthcare professionals fills gaps in receiving countries

Easier spread of infectious diseases (perceived threat from low- and middle- to high-income countries)

Financial burden of high-income countries providing care for ‘unhealthy’ migrant population from low- and middle-income countries

Migration of healthcare professionals results in understaffed systems in origin countries

Environmental factors Better housing, amenities and transport as national incomes rise

Energy-intensive production and consumption (air and car travel) increases pollution and climate change

Depletion of natural resources, decline in open spaces and biodiversity

Cognitive factors Transfer of ideas regarding healthcare provision Change in lifestyles resulting from advertising and marketing of health-damaging products