Applying the health capability profile: an analytical study of leading causes of death in the USA and of pressing public health issues

Marion Coste and Jennifer Prah
Additional contact information
Marion Coste: AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SESSTIM - U1252 INSERM - Aix Marseille Univ - UMR 259 IRD - Sciences Economiques et Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, ISSPAM - Institut des sciences de la santé publique [Marseille]
Jennifer Prah: HUP - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - Perelman School of Medicine - University of Pennsylvania

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: Public health problems are complex; investigating them requires a framework that both accounts for multiple interactions among individuals and their intermediate and broader environment and also integrates equity concerns. Incorporating internal and external influences at the individual level, the health capability profile (HCP)'s 15 different health capabilities address this need. Using a systematic three-step deductive content analysis process, we examine hypothetical case studies representing leading causes of death in the USA (eg, heart disease, cancer and diabetes) as well as pressing public health issues such as COVID-19, alcohol use disorder, stigma and discrimination, intimate partner violence and firearm violence. After reviewing the profile (1), each case study is analysed through the framework of the HCP and developed into a flow diagram, through which we identify shortfalls between the observed and optimal levels of each health capability, as well as detrimental or enabling interactions among capabilities (2). We then determine factors and interventions that could help improve overall health capability (3). The HCP harnesses the multitude of unique individual profiles, and through aggregation and analysis, reveals common vulnerabilities (eg, discriminatory social norms and non-evidence-based information), and strengths. It recommends cross-cutting structural policy and programme reforms for institutions, schools, community resources and for individuals to develop a positive set of norms, knowledge, goals, attitudes and habits to chart the path towards health and well-being for all.

Keywords: HEALTH PROMOTION; Health inequalities; PUBLIC HEALTH; SOCIAL SCIENCES (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-04-02
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2025, 79 (4), pp.302-310. ⟨10.1136/jech-2023-220573⟩

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05069553

DOI: 10.1136/jech-2023-220573

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().