Health and population

Health and population dynamics are intertwined, embodying an intricate relationship with significant implications on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Health is fundamentally at the center of these 17 global goals, aimed to transform the world by 2030. Specifically, Goal 3 endeavors to "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." It acknowledges that health is pivotal to human life quality, social cohesion, and sustainable development. Inextricably linked to this are the complexities of population dynamics, including growth rates, age structure, fertility and mortality rates, and migration patterns.

With the world's population projected to exceed 9.7 billion by 2050, the pressure on health systems will undoubtedly escalate. The demographic transition, with an aging population and an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, poses new challenges for health systems globally. Additionally, areas with high fertility rates often overlap with extreme poverty, resulting in heightened health risks, including higher maternal and child mortality rates, malnutrition, and infectious diseases.

Moreover, rapid urbanization and migration present both opportunities and threats to health. While urban areas may provide better access to healthcare, they also harbor risks of disease transmission, air and water pollution, and social determinants of health like inadequate housing and social inequality. Simultaneously, migrants often face disproportionate health risks due to unstable living conditions, exploitation, and limited access to healthcare services.

Achieving the SDGs will necessitate comprehensive approaches that consider the intricate interplay of health and population dynamics. It means strengthening health systems, promoting universal health coverage, and addressing social determinants of health. It also implies crafting policies that recognize demographic realities and foster an environment conducive to sustainable development. Only by understanding and harnessing these dynamics can the world meaningfully progress towards realizing the SDGs, ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all.

This chapter aligns with several SDG goals. Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being: the chapter discusses the poor health status and health disparities faced by Indigenous populations globally (higher rates of infant mortality, maternal mortality, malnutrition etc.) and advocates for targeted policy responses and improved access to healthcare services. Goal 10: the chapter discusses the social, economic, and political marginalization of Indigenous peoples worldwide, describing how Indigenous communities are often denied self-determination, face ongoing loss of land and resources, and experience systemic discrimination. Goal 15: Life on Land: the chapter discusses the close relationship between the health of Indigenous peoples and the health of their traditional lands and ecosystems. It highlights the importance of biodiversity conservation and the need to recognize the rights of Indigenous communities to their ancestral territories and natural resources.

This study evaluated the behavioral, physiological, and molecular effects of social isolation (SI) in adult zebrafish, and whether the animals recover such changes after their reintroduction to the social environment. The results show that SI altered social behaviors, neural activity, and serotonergic and dopaminergic signaling in zebrafish, but these changes were reversed after the animals were reintroduced to a social context for 6 days.
This Article supports SDG 3 by evaluating a hepatitis B screening programme in which members of the West African community in the Bronx were offered hepatitis B testing when they attended a blood pressure clinic visit following an educational intervention about hypertension. Almost all participants accepted to have hepatitis B screening, showing the effectiveness of its being linked to blood pressure testing.
This study supports SDG 3 by analyzing expenditures on hepatitis B treatments, promoting better health resource management.
This Article supports SDG 3 by assessing the effectiveness of a hepatitis B model of care in Australia, suggesting that the model, involving primary health care, could be rolled out nationally or internationally. The authors suggest that the model could have positive implications particularly for low-income and middle-income countries.
This Article supports SDG3 by evaluating the cost-effectiveness of integrating simplified hepatitis C virus testing with HIV PrEP treatment among men who have sex with men.
This Article supports SDG 4 by documenting significant improvements in fibrosis-based liver disease burden with direct-acting antivirals, among a cohort of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Elsevier,

Resilient Health: Leveraging Technology and Social Innovations to Transform Healthcare for COVID-19 Recovery and Beyond, 2024, pp 955-971

This content aligns with Goal 3: Good Health and Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities by exploring the World Mental Health Report, which discusses the topic of mental health drivers and access to community mental health care in countries across the globe.

This content addresses SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG-10 (Reduced inequalities), aligns with the World Health Organization’s goal to promote universal health coverage, and aims to help close the health treatment gap that keeps remote, underserved communities from accessing needed quality health services.

2025's World Population Day: Addressing Global Challenges

Celebration and Recognition

World Population Day is observed annually on July 11th to raise awareness about global population issues. In 2024, this day will highlight critical topics such as family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health, and human rights.

Origin and Global Involvement

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