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A life-course approach to health encompasses strategies across individuals' lives that optimize their functional ability (taking into account the interdependence of individual, social, environmental, temporal and intergenerational factors), thereby enabling well-being and the realization of rights. The approach is a perfect fit with efforts to achieve universal health coverage and meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Properly applied, a life-course approach can increase the effectiveness of the former and help realize the vision of the latter, especially in ensuring health and well-being for all at all ages. Its implementation requires a shared understanding by individuals and societies of how health is shaped by multiple factors throughout life and across generations. Most studies have focused on noncommunicable disease and ageing populations in high-income countries and on epidemiological, theoretical and clinical issues. The aim of this article is to show how the life-course approach to health can be extended to all age groups, health topics and countries by building on a synthesis of existing scientific evidence, experience in different countries and advances in health strategies and programmes. A conceptual framework for the approach is presented along with implications for implementation in the areas of: (i) policy and investment; (ii) health services and systems; (iii) local, multisectoral and multistakeholder action; and (iv) measurement, monitoring and research. The SDGs provide a unique context for applying a holistic, multisectoral approach to achieving transformative outcomes for people, prosperity and the environment. A life-course approach can reinforce these efforts, particularly given its emphasis on rights and equity. Une approche sanitaire fondee sur le parcours de vie englobe des strategies tout au long de la vie des indivldus qui optimisent leur capacite fonctionnelle (en prenant en compte l'interdependance de facteurs individueis, sociaux, environnementaux, temporels et intergenerationnels), assurant ainsi le bien-etre et l'exerdce des droits. Cette approche s'inscrit parfaitement dans les efforts deployes pour parvenira une couverture sanitaire universelle et atteindre les objectifs de developpement durable (ODD). Lorsqu'elle est correctement appliquee, une approche fondee sur le parcours de vie peut accroitre l'efficacite de la premiere et aider a concretiser l'ambition des seconds, en assurant notamment la sante et le bien-etre pour tous a tous les ages. Sa mise en ceuvre exige une comprehension commune par les individus et les societes de la maniere dont la sante est fagonnee par de multiples facteurs tout au long de la vie et d'une generation a l'autre. La plupart des etudes realisees ont porte sur des maladies non transmissibles et le vieillissement des populations dans les pays a revenu eleve, ainsi que sur des aspects epidemiologiques, theoriques et cliniques. L'objectif de cet article est de montrer que l'approche sanitaire fondee sur le parcours de vie peut etre elargie a toutes les tranches d'age, toutes les questions de sante et tous les pays en s'appuyant sur une synthese des donnees scientifiques existantes, les experiences de differents pays et l'avancement des strategies et programmes en matiere de sante. Un cadre conceptuel de l'approche est presente ainsi que les consequences de sa mise en qeuvre sur: (i) la politique et l'lnvestissement; (ii) les services et systemes de sante; (iii) les actions locales, multisectorielles et multipartites; et (iv) les mesures, la surveillance et la recherche. Les ODD fournissent un contexte unique pour l'application d'une approche globale et multisectorielle en vue d'obtenlr des resultats porteurs de transformation pour les individus, la prosperite et l'environnement. Une approche fondee sur le parcours de vie peut renforcer ees efforts, notamment parce qu'elle met l'accent sur les droits et l'equite. Un enfoque basado en la salud para toda la vida engloba estrategias durante la vida de las personas, que optimizan su capacidad funcional (teniendo en cuenta la interdependencia de los factores individuales, sociales, ambientales, temporales e intergeneracionales), permitiendo asi el bienestar y la realizacion de los derechos. El enfoque encaja perfectamente con los esfuerzos por lograr una cobertura sanitaria universal y cumplir los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible (ODS). SI se aplica correctamente, un enfoque para toda la vida puede aumentar la eficacia del primero y ayudar a alcanzar la vision de este ultimo, especialmente para garantizar la salud y el bienestar en todas las edades. Su aplicacion requiere una comprension compartida entre individuos y sociedades sobre como la salud depende de multiples factores presentes a lo largo de la vida y entre generaciones. La mayoria de los estudios se han centrado en las enfermedades no contagiosas, en el envejecimiento de la poblacion en los paises con ingresos altos y en cuestiones epidemiologicas, teoricas y clinicas. El objetivo de este articulo es mostrar como el enfoque basado en la salud para toda la vida se puede extender a todos los grupos de edades, temas de salud y paises, mediante la creacion de una sintesis de las pruebas cientificas existentes, la experiencia en diferentes paises y los avances en estrategias y programas de salud. Se presenta un marco conceptual del enfoque junto con las implicaciones para la aplicacion en los siguientes campos: (i) politica e inversion; (ii) servicios y sistemas de salud; (iii) accion local, multisectorial y de varias partes Interesadas; y (iv) medicion, supervision e investigacion. Los ODS proporcionan un contexto unico para aplicar un enfoque holistico y multisectorial a fin de alcanzar unos resultados transformadores para las personas, la prosperidad y el medio ambiente. Un enfoque para toda la vida puede intensificar estos esfuerzos, sobre todo por su enfasis en los derechos y la equidad., Introduction The right to the highest attainable standard of health for all people, is enshrined in the World Health Organization's (WHO) constitution and in the United Nations' (UN's) human rights [...]

Intersectoral actions, defined as the alignment of strategies and resources between actors from two or more policy sectors to achieve complementary objectives, (1) are central to the health-related sustainable development [...]

Data presented at the United Nations Summit in September in New York has revealed that many countries are unlikely to achieve all the health targets of the Millennium Development Goals [...]

Monitoring inequalities in health is fundamental to the equitable and progressive realization of universal health coverage (UHC). A successful approach to global inequality monitoring must be intuitive enough for widespread adoption, yet maintain technical credibility. This article discusses methodological considerations for equity-oriented monitoring of UHC, and proposes recommendations for monitoring and target setting. Inequality is multidimensional, such that the extent of inequality may vary considerably across different dimensions such as economic status, education, sex, and urban/rural residence. Hence, global monitoring should include complementary dimensions of inequality (such as economic status and urban/rural residence) as well as sex. For a given dimension of inequality, subgroups for monitoring must be formulated taking into consideration applicability of the criteria across countries and subgroup heterogeneity. For economic-related inequality, we recommend forming subgroups as quintiles, and for urban/rural inequality we recommend a binary categorization. Inequality spans populations, thus appropriate approaches to monitoring should be based on comparisons between two subgroups (gap approach) or across multiple subgroups (whole spectrum approach). When measuring inequality absolute and relative measures should be reported together, along with disaggregated data; inequality should be reported alongside the national average. We recommend targets based on proportional reductions in absolute inequality across populations. Building capacity for health inequality monitoring is timely, relevant, and important. The development of high-quality health information systems, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting practices that are linked to review and evaluation cycles across health systems, will enable effective global and national health inequality monitoring. These actions will support equity-oriented progressive realization of UHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]