War and the Health of Nations

While the direct deaths and injuries attributable to war are a fairly obvious issue when thinking about the relationship between conflict and public health, war also results in conditions that contribute to the spread of disease and the retardation of health care systems and is associated with creating such hazards as famine, epidemics, weapons-induced pollution, lack of clean water, poor sanitation, forced migration, and general indigence. Seeking a detailed account of the relationship between war and health within the context of the framework of human security, Iqbal (political science, Pennsylvania State U.) theoretically and empirically investigates the multiple dimensions of the relationship and analyzes linkages among armed conflict, political and socioeconomic influences, societal capacities, and population well-being. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)