Final answer:
Lifestyle and social/physical environmental changes are generally considered more effective for long-term health improvements compared to just spending more money on existing healthcare systems, due to their preventative nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
Comparing the impact on health between changes in lifestyles and the social/physical environments, against spending more money on existing healthcare delivery systems, it's widely believed that the former can lead to more significant and long-term health improvements. Lifestyle changes, like improved nutrition, increased physical activity, smoking cessation, and better stress management, can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers. On the other hand, enhancing social and physical environments to be more conducive to health, including access to green spaces, healthy food options, and clean air and water, can make healthy choices easier and more sustainable for individuals and communities.
While investing in existing healthcare systems is crucial, it generally focuses on treating diseases after they occur rather than preventing them. Preventative measures through lifestyle and environmental changes can often be more cost-effective in the long run and yield a healthier, more productive society. Therefore, targeting preventative measures could indeed provide more meaningful improvements in overall health status than solely focusing on the healthcare systems in place.