Health

Aims of the chapter

To recognize the shortcomings of conventional approaches to health.

To understand the advantages of the capability framework for assessing health.

To realize the challenges in applying the capability approach to health.

Key Points

Health is a complex, multi-dimensional phenomenon that is not readily measured by any single indicator.

Health is an intrinsic, as well as instrumental, element of human development.

Health gains can facilitate numerous achievements in various aspects of life, while losses in health can exacerbate deprivations in other dimensions.

Looking beyond resource inputs and utilitarian outputs facilitates our ability to appreciate a more holistic notion of health, as well as the individual, social and contextual factors which facilitate the translation of given inputs into valued outputs.

Choices in health are important to consider in contexts where health is readily seen as a commodity and health-related preferences are manufactured to suit commercial interests.