Globalization and health at the United States-Mexico border.

OBJECTIVES We studied the impact of globalization on the making of health policy. Globalization is understood as economic interdependence among nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement is used as a marker to assess the effects of economic interdependence on binational health cooperation along the United States-Mexico border. METHODS We observed participants and conducted in-depth interviews with policymakers, public health specialists, representatives of professional organizations, and unions. RESULTS Globalization has not promoted binational health policy cooperation. Barriers that keep US and Mexican policymakers apart prevail while health problems that do not recognize international borders go unresolved. CONCLUSIONS If international health problems are to be solved, political, cultural, and social interdependence need to be built with the same impetus by which policymakers promote international trade.