Health policy development is often viewed as a rational, evidence-based process; however, in practice, it is heavily influenced by environmental, political, and cultural factors. This article aims to critically examine how these three factors both shape and constrain health policy. The method employed is a literature review of publications from the past five years. The results indicate that a technocratic approach to health policy tends to overlook the complexity of local contexts, while political and cultural factors often serve as the primary determinants of a policy’s success or failure. Therefore, a more contextual and integrative policy approach is needed.
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