The Dahlgren-Whitehead model of health determinants: 30 years on and still chasing rainbows (14 September 2021)

Summary

In this article in the journal Public Health, Göran Dahlgren and Margaret Whitehead, the original authors of the Dahlgren and Whitehead model of the main determinants of health, sometimes known as ‘The Rainbow Model', reflect on how the model has been used over the past thirty years. They tell the story of the model’s journey from initial rejection to worldwide acclaim, and reflect on why it has proved illuminating in many different settings.

The authors also outline how they use the model with the complementary Diderichsen Framework to explain the how the known determinants of health bring about health inequalities. They then discuss what else needs to be done to gain insight and take action on determinants of health and growing inequalities in the post-pandemic world.