Equity, social determinants and NCDs

Noncommunicable diseases have potentially serious socioeconomic consequences, through increasing individual and household impoverishment and hindering social and economic development. This chapter examines the relationship between NCDs and socioeconomic conditions. It demonstrates that the distribution and impact of NCDs and their risk factors is highly inequitable and imposes a disproportionately large burden on lowand middle-income countries. Poverty is closely linked with NCDs, and the rapid rise in the magnitude of these health problems is therefore predicted to impede poverty reduction initiatives in low-income countries and communities. Finally, the chapter argues that scaling up global efforts to prevent and control NCDs will help accelerate the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).