Dr. Bezruchka worked as an emergency physician in the U.S. for 3 decades and spent ten years in Nepal. There he started a community health project a week’s walk from the road and set up a remote district hospital as a teaching hospital for Nepali doctors whose training he supervised.

He considers how nations and parts of the world attain their health and mortality status. No attention is being paid to the current U.S. health decline. In the 1950s this country was one of the world’s healthiest. Upstream causes are mostly economic and political. Those most important are related to hierarchical structures and supporting early life. Social spending maters more than medical care in producing health. COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented declines in life expectancy not seen in other rich countries.

He teaches, writes, and talks about population health issues and works to further a broader understanding of determinants of health. His research focuses on how to best create broader awareness.

His activist efforts include working on the Economic Inequality Health Task Force of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, where he is also a member of the board of directors