Bringing together the latest data to chart recent and emerging trends, this atlas offers a major new profile of the state of health worldwide. In clear, full-color graphic displays and concise, informative text, it maps the causes and incidences of the major diseases as well as the economic, social, and environmental factors that shape health around the globe. In addition, it shows how health needs are identified, how health policy is developed and delivered, and how the quality of health services varies from country to country.

The State of Health Atlas covers a range of timely topics including:

* Life expectancy

* Malnutrition and obesity

* Water and sanitation

* Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes

* Tobacco and alcohol use

* Migration and refugees

* Climate change

* Infectious diseases from malaria to HIV/AIDS

* Mental health

* SARS

* Avian flu and pandemic planning

* Urbanization

* Antibiotic resistance

Diarmuid O'Donovan is senior lecturer in Social and Preventive Medicine at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and Director of Public Health in the Health Service Executive, Western Area. A medical doctor currently based in Ireland, he has worked in the United Kingdom, Zambia, and the Gambia.

BMA Medical Book Award, British Medical Association