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By understanding and exploring where barriers exist to better everyday health, we can work with others to help break them down. That’s why we are investing in health inclusivity research to build a clearer picture of what’s holding people back from inclusive, better everyday health, and to inform actions we and others can take to help remove these barriers.

We commissioned Economist Impact to create the world’s first Health Inclusivity Index . The Health Inclusivity Index is a comprehensive programme that analyses efforts to improve health inclusivity around the world, beginning with 40 countries and ultimately expanding to 80 countries. It looks at a range of factors, from policies impacting health and wellbeing, to the provision of healthcare, and whether health interventions are designed to be inclusive, accessible, and tailored for individuals, communities, and vulnerable groups1.



The first set of results from the Index show that countries with the highest overall scores also empower people and communities with the opportunity and ability to actively engage with and support their health through the right systems, tools, and education2.

It’s clear to us from the Index’s initial findings that empowering people – including those from marginalised and vulnerable communities – to manage their health is key to improving health inclusivity. We look forward to communities, decision makers, and leaders engaging with the Index findings and using the data to inform and inspire actions we and others can take to make better everyday health more inclusive.


We have also supported lived experience research to understand what it feels like to be excluded from better everyday health, as the voices of less included groups and individuals can often go unheard.

By developing a deep, human understanding of what holds individuals back from getting the right treatment or appropriate level of care, we can understand how to help people be more included in better everyday health.


We have also supported lived experience research to understand what it feels like to be excluded from better everyday health, as the voices of less included groups and individuals can often go unheard. 

We’ve brought real stories to the table through the Round Table of Health Inclusivity. Centred around a virtual globe and incorporating data from Economist Impact’s Health Inclusivity Index, the table is underpinned by people’s lived experiences of health exclusion.

Building on the macro view provided by the findings from the Index and additional research, the lived experiences displayed on our table highlight the real ways through which some people feel excluded from better everyday health and consider solutions which could help address some of these challenges.


By developing a deep, human understanding of what holds individuals back from getting the right treatment or appropriate level of care, we can understand how to help people be more included in better everyday health.


1The Health Inclusivity Index: measuring progress towards good health for everyone. Page 6. https://impact.economist.com/projects/health-inclusivity-index

2The Health Inclusivity Index: measuring progress towards good health for everyone. Pages 9 – 10. https://impact.economist.com/projects/health-inclusivity-index