Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Changing perspectives on health and societies: the example of medical geography -- 2. Changing perspectives on the social construction of health, disease, and illness -- 3. Contesting concepts of health -- 4. Social and spatial inequalities in health -- 5. Reforms in national health systems: changing strategies for equity and efficiency -- 6. Local perspectives on equity and effectiveness of health services -- 7. Action for health gain: the agendas set by public health models -- 8. Setting agendas: health policy formulation and implementation -- 9. The widening international perspective on health -- 10. Towards 2000: issues for a research agenda.

Throughout the world, the organization of health service delivery is undergoing a period of rapid change. The health service professions, under a variety of influences, are renegotiating their approaches to health, emphasizing health promotion and the prevention of illness. This reorientation necessitates a stronger focus on the effects of social, economic and environmental factors on health, and on building intersectoral links to achieve these new goals.

This book examines the study of health, health services and health policy from an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing on the work of medical geographers, sociologists, anthropologists, epidemiologists, and other social scientists.

Incorporating a range of examples from both high- and low-income countries, the authors identify particularly the issues which demonstrate changing perspectives on health, health services and health policy, and link these to our increasing understanding of different societies and social groups.