Open AccessRight to Health and the Social Determinants of Health in the Face of COVID-19. Tthe Spanish Experience after Austerity Policies
Author(s) -
Carlos Lema Añón
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the age of human rights
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.101
H-Index - 1
ISSN - 2340-9592
DOI - 10.17561/tahrj.v16.6326
Subject(s) - austerity , covid-19 , pandemic , social determinants of health , face (sociological concept) , perspective (graphical) , health care , health policy , public health , political science , economic growth , healthcare system , development economics , sociology , medicine , economics , nursing , social science , politics , disease , pathology , artificial intelligence , computer science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
The COVID-19 pandemic has particularly affected Spain in 2020. Although the specific causes and Spain’s response—as well as the aspects to be improved—are yet to be evaluated, many experts agree that this crisis has magnified some of the problems of the Spanish health system, highlighting the problems derived from the cuts in the capacities of the health and public health systems. We assess the current situation from the perspective of the right to health in its twofold dimension: health care and social determinants. For this purpose, we look into the configuration of the right to health in Spain and how the economic crisis and austerity policies affected it. In particular, we consider the impact both on institutional health care systems and in terms of social determinants of health. Finally, we make several proposals for strengthening the right to health.