Health policy comprises the decisions, plans, regulations, and actions undertaken by governments and other organizations to shape the financing, organization, and delivery of health services and to influence the determinants of population health. It establishes the framework within which care is provided, defines th…
Health policy comprises the decisions, plans, regulations, and actions undertaken by governments and other organizations to shape the financing, organization, and delivery of health services and to influence the determinants of population health. It establishes the framework within which care is provided, defines the responsibilities of stakeholders, and sets priorities that affect equity, access, and quality. Policy instruments range from legislation and taxation, such as tobacco control measures and levies on sugar-sweetened beverages, to programmatic strategies for screening, outbreak preparedness, and the management of seasonal and emerging infectious disease. Effective health policy is informed by evidence on facilitators and barriers to care, the workforce conditions that influence retention and the quality of nursing and pharmaceutical services, and the needs of specific populations including older adults with non-communicable disease. The field also engages with governance of research, the geopolitics of disease emergence, and the protection of services such as milk banking and maternal nutrition. Analysts evaluate policies against goals of efficiency, fairness, and improved outcomes, often using comparative and cross-sectional evidence to anticipate consequences. By translating scientific findings and societal values into coordinated action, health policy guides resource allocation and system reform, aiming to balance individual care with the protection and promotion of public health.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 61 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Health Policy, linking to each citing work.