Antonia M. Villarruel, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Penn Nursing, has co-authored a new book, “Systems That Impact Population Health: Past and Present,” which serves as a critical examination of how foundational U.S. systems, including law, education, housing, and health care, have historically shaped and continue to dictate health outcomes across diverse communities.
The book moves beyond focusing on individual behavior, arguing that addressing embedded institutional barriers is key to ensuring health for all. It is organized around seven distinct population groups, drawing on rigorous research and lived experience to reveal how these systems often influence opportunity, leading to persistent health disparities.
By connecting the nation’s individual and collective history to its present-day health landscape, “Systems That Impact Population Health: Past and Present” provides a unifying framework and set of policy recommendations to ensure good health for all.
“To achieve health for everyone everywhere, we must look upstream to the conditions in which people live, learn, work, and age,” says Villarruel. “This book is a roadmap that outlines the changes and policies necessary to allow every person the opportunity to live a healthy life.”
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