Due　to　global　warming,　drought　events　have　become　more　frequent,　which　resulted　in　aggravated　crop　failures,　food　shortage,　larger　and　more　energetic　wildfires,　and　have　seriously　affected　socio-economic　development　and　agricultural　production.　In　this　study,　a　global　long-term　(1981-2021),　high-resolution　(4　km)　improved　vegetation　health　index　(VHI)　dataset　integrating　climate,　vegetation　and　soil　moisture　was　developed.　Based　on　drought　records　from　the　Emergency　Event　Database,　we　compared　the　detection　efficiency　of　the　VHI　before　and　after　its　improvement　in　the　occurrence　and　scope　of　observed　drought　events.　The　global　drought　detection　efficiency　of　the　improved　high-resolution　VHI　dataset　reached　values　as　high　as　85%,　which　is　14%　higher　than　the　original　VHI　dataset.　The　improved　VHI　dataset　was　also　more　sensitive　to　mild　droughts　and　more　accurate　regarding　the　extent　of　droughts.　This　improved　dataset　can　play　an　important　role　in　long-term　drought　monitoring　but　also　has　the　potential　to　assess　the　impact　of　drought　on　the　agricultural,　forestry,　ecological　and　environmental　sectors.