Building a better health: a handbook of behavioral change

Abstract

At the beginning of the 21st century, our Region’s health report card is mixed. On the plus side, the countries of the Americas have made clear gains in “Health for All” goals. Infant mortality rates are lower, for example, and this, in turn, has helped to add six years to life expectancy at birth in the last two decades. On the other hand, these gains have not been evenly attained throughout the Region, and some countries, as well as some areas and popu- lation groups within countries, have been deprived of these benefits. The fast pace of aging and urbanization has resulted in an exponential rise in chronic noncommunicable diseases, adding to the yet unsolved toll in death and dis- ability wrought by communicable diseases, especially among the poor