In the last decades, globalization has produced an acceleration of social, economic and political
changes worldwide. These changes had a number of positive effects including enhancing political freedom,
living standards and health conditions. However, many of them have also produced adverse health
consequences, especially when they have been implemented in a sudden, rapid and unexpected way. This is
especially true among those populations whose ability to adjust to the new circumstances generated by
rapid change was limited. The aim of the present research project was to examine the health consequences
of rapid social, economic and political change following globalization as well as to investigate the role of
psychosocial factors in explaining these relationships. A theoretical framework proposing major
psychosocial pathways connecting rapid change with health-related outcomes has been developed. A series
of case studies from countries affected by rapid change supported the hypothesized relationships included
in the framework. Countries of interest were the former Soviet Union nations, China, Japan, Micronesia
Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the United States. The limited ability of certain populations
to adjust to rapid changes induced by globalization as well as the pace of change of social, economic and
political reforms are discussed
