World Health Report
Encyclopedia
The World Health Report is a series of reports produced regularly by the World Health Organization
(WHO). First published in 1995, the World Health Report is WHO's leading publication. Published annually or biennially in multiple languages, each report includes an expert assessment of a specific global health
topic, relating to all countries that are Member States of the organization.
The main purpose of the report is to provide policymakers, donor agencies, international organizations and others with the information they need to help them make appropriate health policy and funding decisions. However, the report is also accessible to a wider audience, such as universities, journalists and the public at large. It is expected that anyone, with a professional or personal interest in international health issues, will be able to read and take use of it.
- in informing health policies and improving population health
outcomes, notably to help more countries meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals
.
To support the development of the report, the WHO issued a call for papers
in collaboration with the Public Library of Science
(PLoS) open-access publisher on topics related to strengthening of key functions and components of national health research systems, especially from low- and middle-income countries.
, and how countries can modify their financing systems to move towards this goal. The report provides an action agenda for countries at all stages of development, and proposes ways that the international community can better support efforts in low-income countries to achieve universal coverage and improve population health
outcomes.
, and the need for health system
s to respond better and faster to the health care challenges of a changing world.
s, industrial accidents, natural disasters and other health emergencies which can rapidly become threats to global public health
security. The report described how the new International Health Regulations
help countries to work together to identify risks and act to contain and control them.
worldwide, calling the situation a "global health workforce crisis". The report laid out a ten-year action plan for building national health workforces through better training, recruitment and management processes.
, childbirth
or soon after. The report said that reducing this toll in line with the Millennium Development Goals
would depend largely on every mother and every child having the right to access to health care
from pregnancy through childbirth, the neonatal period and childhood.
situation and some of the major threats to health. The report advocated that major improvements in health for all
were within reach, and that progress depended on collaboration among governments, international institutions, the private sector and civil society to build stronger health systems.
, disability
and death
in the world that could be attributed to a selected number of the most important risks to human health
. It projected how much this burden could lowered in the next 20 years if the same risk factors were reduced.
was the core focus of the World health report 2001.
s around the world, and better understand the complex factors that explain how health systems perform. The report provided an assessment of the performance of national health systems
for all countries.
Other publications of the World Health Organization:
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(WHO). First published in 1995, the World Health Report is WHO's leading publication. Published annually or biennially in multiple languages, each report includes an expert assessment of a specific global health
Global health
Global health is the health of populations in a global context and transcends the perspectives and concerns of individual nations. Health problems that transcend national borders or have a global political and economic impact, are often emphasized...
topic, relating to all countries that are Member States of the organization.
The main purpose of the report is to provide policymakers, donor agencies, international organizations and others with the information they need to help them make appropriate health policy and funding decisions. However, the report is also accessible to a wider audience, such as universities, journalists and the public at large. It is expected that anyone, with a professional or personal interest in international health issues, will be able to read and take use of it.
List of themes by year
Each World Health Report addresses a different theme. The following is a list of reports and themes.- 2012 - Better Research for Better Health (forthcoming)
- 2010 - Health systems financing: The path to universal coverage
- 2008 - Primary health care: Now more than ever
- 2007 - A safer future: global public health security in the 21st century
- 2006 - Working together for health
- 2005 - Make every mother and child count
- 2004 - Changing history
- 2003 - Shaping the future
- 2002 - Reducing risks, promoting healthy life
- 2001 - Mental health: new understanding, new hope
- 2000 - Health systems: improving performance
- 1999 - Making a difference
- 1998 - Life in the 21st century: a vision for all
- 1997 - Conquering suffering, enriching humanity
- 1996 - Fighting disease, fostering development
- 1995 - Bridging the gaps
2012: Better Research for Better Health
The theme for the World Health Report 2012 is Better Research for Better Health. The report is expected to advocate for the better research and better use of research - including medical research and health services researchHealth services research
Health services research is a multidisciplinary scientific field that examines how people get access to health care practitioners and health care services, how much care costs, and what happens to patients as a result of this care...
- in informing health policies and improving population health
Population health
Population health has been defined as “the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group.” It is an approach to health that aims to improve the health of an entire population. One major step in achieving this aim is to reduce health...
outcomes, notably to help more countries meet the health-related Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
.
To support the development of the report, the WHO issued a call for papers
Call for papers
A call for papers ' is a method used in academic and other contexts for collecting book or journal articles or conference presentations...
in collaboration with the Public Library of Science
Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science is a nonprofit open-access scientific publishing project aimed at creating a library of open access journals and other scientific literature under an open content license...
(PLoS) open-access publisher on topics related to strengthening of key functions and components of national health research systems, especially from low- and middle-income countries.
2010: Health Systems Financing
The World Health Report 2010 focuses on the topic of universal health care coverageUniversal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
, and how countries can modify their financing systems to move towards this goal. The report provides an action agenda for countries at all stages of development, and proposes ways that the international community can better support efforts in low-income countries to achieve universal coverage and improve population health
Population health
Population health has been defined as “the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group.” It is an approach to health that aims to improve the health of an entire population. One major step in achieving this aim is to reduce health...
outcomes.
2008: Primary health care
The theme of the World Health Report 2008 was the renewal of primary health carePrimary health care
Primary health care, often abbreviated as “PHC”, has been defined as "essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost...
, and the need for health system
Health system
A health system can be defined as the structured and interrelated set of all actors and institutions contributing to health improvement. The health system boundaries could then be referred to the concept of health action, which is "any set of activities whose primary intent is to improve or...
s to respond better and faster to the health care challenges of a changing world.
2007: Global public health security
The main concern of the World Health Report 2007 was how the world is at increasing risk of disease outbreaks, epidemicEpidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
s, industrial accidents, natural disasters and other health emergencies which can rapidly become threats to global public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
security. The report described how the new International Health Regulations
International Health Regulations
The International Health Regulations 2005 are legally binding regulations that aim to a) assist countries to work together to save lives and livelihoods endangered by the spread of diseases and other health risks, and b) avoid unnecessary interference with international trade and travel.The...
help countries to work together to identify risks and act to contain and control them.
2006: Working together for health
The World Health Report 2006 highlighted the estimated shortage of almost 4.3 million doctors, nurses, midwives, and other health human resourcesHealth Human Resources
Health human resources — also known as “human resources for health” or “health workforce” — is defined as “all people engaged in actions whose primary intent is to enhance health”, according to the World Health Organization's World Health Report 2006. Human resources for health are identified as...
worldwide, calling the situation a "global health workforce crisis". The report laid out a ten-year action plan for building national health workforces through better training, recruitment and management processes.
2005: Make every mother and child count
The World Health Report 2005 focused on the fact that almost 11 million children under five years of age die annually from causes that are largely preventable, and another half a million women die in pregnancyPregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
, childbirth
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
or soon after. The report said that reducing this toll in line with the Millennium Development Goals
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight international development goals that all 193 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015...
would depend largely on every mother and every child having the right to access to health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
from pregnancy through childbirth, the neonatal period and childhood.
2004: Changing history
The topic of the World Health Report 2004 was the global HIV/AIDS pandemic.2003: Shaping the future
The World health report 2003 examined the global healthGlobal health
Global health is the health of populations in a global context and transcends the perspectives and concerns of individual nations. Health problems that transcend national borders or have a global political and economic impact, are often emphasized...
situation and some of the major threats to health. The report advocated that major improvements in health for all
Health For All
Health For All is a programming goal of the World Health Organization , which envisions securing the health and well being of people around the world that has been popularized since the 1970s...
were within reach, and that progress depended on collaboration among governments, international institutions, the private sector and civil society to build stronger health systems.
2002: Reducing risks, promoting healthy life
The World health report 2002 described the amount of diseaseDisease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
, disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
and death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
in the world that could be attributed to a selected number of the most important risks to human health
Risk factor
In epidemiology, a risk factor is a variable associated with an increased risk of disease or infection. Sometimes, determinant is also used, being a variable associated with either increased or decreased risk.-Correlation vs causation:...
. It projected how much this burden could lowered in the next 20 years if the same risk factors were reduced.
2001: Mental health
The largely neglected area of mental healthMental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
was the core focus of the World health report 2001.
2000: Health systems: improving performance
The World Health Report 2000 introduced a conceptual framework and measurement approach to examine and compare aspects of health systemHealth system
A health system can be defined as the structured and interrelated set of all actors and institutions contributing to health improvement. The health system boundaries could then be referred to the concept of health action, which is "any set of activities whose primary intent is to improve or...
s around the world, and better understand the complex factors that explain how health systems perform. The report provided an assessment of the performance of national health systems
WHO's ranking of health care systems
The World Health Organization ranked the healthcare systems of its 191 member states in its World Health Report 2000. It provided a framework and measurement approach to examine and compare aspects of health systems around the world...
for all countries.
See also
- World Health DayWorld Health DayWorld Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization .In 1948, the World Health Organization held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day...
Other publications of the World Health Organization:
- Bulletin of the World Health OrganizationBulletin of the World Health OrganizationThe Bulletin of the World Health Organization is a monthly public health journal published by the World Health Organization that was established in 1947. It aims to give public health policy and practice guidance based on the best evidence available, while encouraging closer links between...
- Eastern Mediterranean Health JournalEastern Mediterranean Health JournalThe Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is a healthcare journal published by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization. The journal publishes original research in the area of public health and related biomedical or technical subjects, with particular relevance to...
- Human Resources for HealthHuman Resources for HealthHuman Resources for Health is a peer-reviewed, open-access, public health journal publishing original research and case studies on issues of information, planning, production, management, and governance of the health workforce, and their links with health care delivery and health outcomes,...
- Pan American Journal of Public HealthPan American Journal of Public HealthThe Pan American Journal of Public Health is a peer-reviewed open-access public health journal covering research and case studies on issues of public health significance, mainly in areas related to national and local health systems, to improve the health of the peoples of the Americas...