Alexis Paton

While politics technically falls under the realm of ‘structural determinants of health’, this chapter pulls these concepts out in even stronger detail. It first looks at the wider impact of politics on health, describing the impact of political ideals such as personal responsibility, libertarianism and socialism on the way health systems are created. Using the example of austerity, it details how seemingly ‘non-health’ political decisions can have big impacts on the health of a nation and the delivery of healthcare for that nation. The chapter then describes how the structure of a health service, such as the National Health Service in Britain, influences population and individual health both positively and negatively. The chapter ends by discussing how common political and economic concepts influence healthcare daily through rationing and resource allocation.