PHA-Exch> Global Learning Device on Social Determinants of Health and Public Policy Formulation - English and Spanish

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) <ruglucia at paho.org>
crossposted from: EQUIDAD at listserv.paho.org


  *Global Learning Device on Social Determinants of Health and Public Policy
Formulation*

Mark Akerman
*Pan American Health Organization PAHO/WHO - February 2009*

*English and Spanish* at:  http://dds-dispositivoglobal.ops.org.ar/curso/

The purpose of the Introductory Module is to raise awareness of and provide
insight into the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) in order to reduce
health inequities, encourage changes in the political agenda and contribute
to a better administration of social justice and enforcement of human
rights. Based on this attitude, we wish to inspire a critical vision of SDH
by facilitating both the dissemination of the approach and the understanding
of the intervention criteria, drawing on validated scientific papers on SDH,
public policies based on the SDH approach, and documents produced by the
Commission on the Social Determinants of Health, established by WHO.

This Introductory Module intends to stress the need for and importance of
encouraging global learning processes as collective contexts for reflecting
upon public policy-making and implementation, so that the Social
Determinants of Health SDH approach is not only a well-structured set of
scientific evidence and country-based "case studies," but also a political
and educational instrument to encourage reflection on and changes in usual
public policy practices.

*General objectives of the online Introductory Module*

** Understand Health Equity as a value that reflects social justice theory
and constitutes a basic factor for the right to health.
Recognize the potential of identifying health inequities as a strategic
element in designing more equitable public policies.
Recognize intersectoral policies and concerted action strategies from the
SDH perspective.
Analyze the recommendations drawn from the reports drafted by the Commission
on Social Determinants of Health and its nine Knowledge Networks,
   as well as foster their discussion and adoption, taking into account both
the conditions and priorities in each country.

The Introductory Module is basically targeted at WHO/PAHO staff members as
well as Health Ministries' officials in all countries who are engaged in
designing action programs, policies and plans for SDH.

Furthermore, in joining other country initiatives and academic center
networks that have organized educational processes with their own public
agents and university lecturers, we aim at reaching a broad audience (not
only academic and scholars) to lay down the foundations of our process in an
attempt to generate, disseminate and increase knowledge as well as
facilitate the development of professional qualifications for applying SDH
approach to public policies and other strategies via personal and
institutional capacity-building processes.

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This course has been organized by Marco Akerman (Health and Local
Development Regional Advisor – PAHO/SDE – Sustainable Development and
Environmental Health Area – PAHO Argentina) and Cristina Davini (educational
project consultant of PAHO) with the contribution of Alcira Castillo
(Network on Social Determinants of Health, REDET) and Hernán Sandoval (WHO
CSDH) as temporary consultants to the project and the cooperation of Rosa
María Borrel (PAHO/Health Systems and Services Area). Earlier versions of
the manuscript were reviewed by Daniel Ernesto Albretch Alba (WHO), Eugenio
Raúl Montesinos Villar (WHO), Orielle Solar (Ministry of Health, Chile), and
Marcelo Amable (Argentina). Important to recognize the CETI - Translation
and Interpretation Center for the English version, and Diego Rendón and Juan
Damelio for the work of system engineering and Rosario Salinas for the
revision of the text in Spanish.
Jeannette Vega (Ministry of Health, Chile), Paulo Buss (Fiocruz, Brazil) and
Luiz Augusto Cassanha Galvao (PAHO SDE Area Manager) conceptualized the
project and gave their support to the preparatory meetings and the process
of drafting this module. Kumanan Rasanathan (WHO) elucidated the
relationship between PHC and SHD. Diego González (Regional Advisor on
Toxicology, PAHO/SDE —Sustainable Development and Environmental Health Area—
PAHO Brazil), given his long-standing experience in self-learning courses
contributed valuable methodological approaches, while Andrés Venturino (PAHO
Argentina) designed both the structure and graphics of the module.
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