International perspectives on health inequalities and policy

Inequalities and inequities in health have long been central to the concerns of public health.Governments in several countries, including the United Kingdom, have recently shown renewed interest in tackling these issues. 1Concerted attempts have also been made to push them up the global health policy agenda, 2-4 and at the same time international agencies and donors are giving priority to efforts to reduce poverty.In this article we provide an overview of the current debates around inequity, inequalities, poverty, and health, drawing together current international understandings of the problem.