When Health Policy Becomes Victim Blaming

Abstract

The rhetoric of the new administration's national health policy reflects a shift in priorities that could have a profound impact on the lives and health of Americans by the end of the decade. It is a move away from what has been a heavy economic investment in disease treatment and toward a greater emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention. So far, the new emphasis has been limited to budget cuts in old health programs rather than new investments or initiatives.Two principal reasons are offered for the change in policy. The first is that medical care is widely perceived . . .