In the real world, multiple social, economic and political factors are instrumental in shaping the
design and implementation of health policies. The field of health policy analysis helps to shine a
light on these complex realities, and is vital to helping us to understand how we can influence policy
processes to achieve health impacts.
Health policy analysis has immense potential in helping to strengthen health systems to achieve
health goals. For instance, it is essential for identifying the levers of change that can drive political
commitment for universal health coverage. It can also help us to understand and advance intersectoral
coordination, essential for the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Commencing with an overview of conceptual issues in health policy analysis, followed by a series of
empirical papers from low- and-middle income countries (LMICs), this Reader systematically explains
how different actors influence policies and, in turn, how contexts influence policy actors in making
decisions. In doing so, it draws on diverse traditions of political economy analysis, policy studies
and public administration. There is also a helpful section dedicated to using health policy analysis
prospectively to support health policy change.
While some countries have taken steps to institutionalize and support health policy analysis, it remains
a relatively neglected field, particularly in LMICs, and capacity challenges limit the extent of its
generation and use. We hope that this Reader will help to bridge this gap by providing a valuable
learning resource for researchers keen to engage in the systematic study of health policy, as well as
to health policy-makers and practitioners who are eager to influence policy change.
