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The Best Things in Life are (Nearly) Free: Technology, Knowledge and Global Health

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  • Ursula Casabonne
  • Charles Kenny

Abstract

The health of the world’s population—including those in the poorest countries—has improved more in the past 100 years than ever before. The improvement is largely a result of the development and spread of cheap, effective technologies (such as vaccines). Other factors, such as national wealth and institutional development, appear to be secondary, suggesting that exogenous models of development may still be relevant in explain gains in global health. In this paper, background to Kenny’s book Getting Better, the authors investigate the cross-country determinants of health improvements and describe the implications for development policy. In short, improving health need not be expensive. Even very poor countries can make great strides with good technologies and good delivery, but it may take time. Historical trends suggest we should not expect too much too quickly.

Suggested Citation

  • Ursula Casabonne & Charles Kenny, 2011. "The Best Things in Life are (Nearly) Free: Technology, Knowledge and Global Health," Working Papers 252, Center for Global Development.
    • Handle: RePEc:cgd:wpaper:252
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    File URL: https://www.cgdev.org/publication/best-things-life-are-nearly-free-technology-knowledge-and-global-health-working-paper?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=repec
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrew McNee, 2012. "Rethinking Health Sector Wide Approaches through the lens of Aid Effectiveness," Development Policy Centre Discussion Papers 1214, Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    2. Dave, Dhaval & Doytch, Nadia & Kelly, Inas Rashad, 2016. "Nutrient intake: A cross-national analysis of trends and economic correlates," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 158-167.
    3. Sandiford, P. & Vivas Consuelo, D. & Rouse, P. & Bramley, D., 2018. "The trade-off between equity and efficiency in population health gain: Making it real," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 136-144.
    4. Hecock, R. Douglas & Jepsen, Eric M., 2013. "Should Countries Engage in a Race to the Bottom? The Effect of Social Spending on FDI," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 156-164.
    5. Whittington, Dale & Jeuland, Marc & Barker, Kate & Yuen, Yvonne, 2012. "Setting Priorities, Targeting Subsidies among Water, Sanitation, and Preventive Health Interventions in Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(8), pages 1546-1568.
    6. Cristia, Julian & Prado, Ariadna García & Peluffo, Cecilia, 2015. "The Impact of Contracting in and Contracting out Basic Health Services: The Guatemalan Experience," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 215-227.
    7. Gherhes, Cristian & Yu, Zhen & Vorley, Tim & Xue, Lan, 2023. "Technological trajectories as an outcome of the structure-agency interplay at the national level: Insights from emerging varieties of AI," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).

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