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Review
. 2018 Feb 15;14(1):21.
doi: 10.1186/s12992-018-0336-y.

Corporate practices and health: a framework and mechanisms

Joana Madureira Lima  1 , Sandro Galea  2
Affiliations
Review

Corporate practices and health: a framework and mechanisms

Joana Madureira Lima et al. Global Health. .

Abstract

Background: The Global Burden of Disease estimates that approximately a third of deaths worldwide are attributable to behavioural risk factors that, at their core, have the consumption of unhealthful products and exposures produced by profit driven commercial entities. We use Steven Lukes' three-dimensional view of power to guide the study of the practices deployed by commercial interests to foster the consumption of these commodities. Additionally, we propose a framework to systematically study corporations and other commercial interests as a distal, structural, societal factor that causes disease and injury. Our framework offers a systematic approach to mapping corporate activity, allowing us to anticipate and prevent actions that may have a deleterious effect on population health.

Conclusion: Our framework may be used by, and can have utility for, public health practitioners, researchers, students, activists and other members of civil society, policy makers and public servants in charge of policy implementation. It can also be useful to corporations who are interested in identifying key actions they can take towards improving population health.

Keywords: Corporate Influence; Corporate Tactics; Macrosocial Determinants of Health; Non-communicable diseases; Transnational Corporations.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

N/A

Consent for publication

N/A

Competing interests

Both authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagram of Dimensions, Vehicles, Practices and Outcomes of Power
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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