The impact of economic embargoes on the health of women and children.

Economic embargoes have become common since the end of the Cold War. This review of health changes in Iraq, Haiti, Yugoslavia, Nicaragua, South Africa, and Cuba indicates that the major impact of decreased access to health goods occurs among the most politically and economically vulnerable sectors of the population, particularly women and children under five years of age. While some societies are skilled at attenuating the negative health effects of economic embargoes, nearly all countries have demonstrable deterioration in the health sector, despite major attempts to provide humanitarian assistance. Recommendations for reducing the negative impact of economic embargoes on civilian populations include exempting humanitarian goods (food and medical supplies) and international agreements to define exempt goods and guarantee their delivery.