Paulo Marchiori Buss

Qualidade de vida e saúde: um debate necessário

This paper discusses the relationships between quality of life and health by applying the discourses emerging in the health sector to other fields and other disciplines. These relationships constitute social representation based on subjective parameters (well-being, happiness, love, pleasure, personal satisfaction), and on objective ones such as satisfaction of basic needs and of the needs created by the degree of economical and social development of a given society. The text presents the main instruments which have been constructed during the last years for measuring quality of life, as well as the debate they cause. It also debates the semantic field where the representations and actions in favour of quality of life - such as the concept of development, democracy, quality, way and conditions of life - develop. In relation to the field of health, this article discusses the tendency to restrict the concept of quality of life to the biomedical area, associated with an economic assessment. It shows the variety of instruments created for measuring quality of life in accordance with the concept. Health promotion is considered one of the most relevant strategies in this field in order to avoid medical reductionism and to develop an interdisciplinary dialogue. It is argued that this proposal, however, still needs to be refined and tested in sanitary practices.

Promoção da saúde e qualidade de vida

Several scientific evidences show the contribution of health to the quality of life of either individuals or populations. Similarly, many of the social life components that contribute to quality in life are also essential for individuals and populations to attain an adequate health standard. For individuals and populations to achieve appropriate health standards it is necessary not only access to quality medical-health services. Health determinants must be considered widely, thus requiring healthy public policies (concerned with its impacts on health), an effective intersectoral articulation, and the populations engagement. In this paper, the author reviews the emergency and development of health promotion by focusing his analysis on the above strategies, which according to the health sectors propositions would be the most promising strategies to improve the quality of life, especially in social formations where social-public health inequities are so many, as in Brazil. These strategies are materialized in the bases and practices of the healthy towns movement, which are strictly associated with public management innovations for the integral and sustainable local development, as well as with the local Agenda 21.

A saúde e seus determinantes sociais

RESUMO Este artigo busca analisar as relacoes entre saude e seus determinantes sociais, apresentando inicialmente o conceito de determinantes sociais de saude (DSS) e uma breve evolucao historica dos diversos paradigmas explicativos do processo saude/doenca no âmbito das sociedades, desde meados do seculo XIX. Em seguida sao discutidos os principais avancos e desafios no estudo dos DSS, com enfase em novos enfoques e marcos de referencia explicativos das relacoes ente os diversos niveis de DSS e a situacao de saude. Com base nesses estudos e marcos explicativos, discutese, em seguida, uma serie de possibilidades de intervencoes de politicas e programas voltados para o combate as iniquidades de saude geradas pelos DSS. Finalmente, sao apresentados os objetivos, linhas de atuacao e principais atividades da Comissao Nacional sobre Determinantes Sociais da Saude, criada em marco de 2006, com o objetivo de promover estudos sobre os DSS, recomendar politicas para a promocao da equidade em saude e mobilizar setores da sociedade para o debate e posicionamento em torno dos DSS e do enfrentamento das iniquidades de saude.

The political origins of health inequity: prospects for change

Ole Petter Ottersen, Jashodhara Dasgupta, Chantal Blouin, Paulo Buss, Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong, Julio Frenk, Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, Bience P Gawanas, Rita Giacaman, John Gyapong, Jennifer Leaning, Michael Marmot, Desmond McNeill, Gertrude I Mongella, Nkosana Moyo, Sigrun Møgedal, Ayanda Ntsaluba, Gorik Ooms, Espen Bjertness, Ann Louise Lie, Suerie Moon, Sidsel Roalkvam, Kristin I Sandberg, Inger B Scheel

Combating Tropical Infectious Diseases: Report of the Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries Project

Infectious diseases are responsible for >25% of the global disease toll. The new Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries Project (DCPP) aims to decrease the burden of these diseases by producing science-based analyses from demographic, epidemiologic, disease intervention, and economic evidence for the purpose of defining disease priorities and implementing control measures. The DCPP recently reviewed selected tropical infectious diseases, examined successful control experiences, and defined unsettled patient treatment, prevention, and research issues. Disease elimination programs against American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, leprosy, trachoma, and measles are succeeding. Dengue, leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis, malaria, diarrheal diseases, helminthic infections, and tuberculosis have reemerged because of inadequate interventions and control strategies and the breakdown of health delivery systems. Application of technologies must be cost-effective and intensified research is essential if these and other scourges are to be controlled or eliminated in the 21st century.

Hookworm: "The great infection of mankind"

Over the last five years, there has been increasing recognition of the global health importance of hookworm. New international efforts to control the morbidity of hookworm are in progress

The road to recovery.

Brazil urgently needs to improve infrastructure for generating pharmaceuticals to alleviate the plight of its poor and marginalized populations, say Carlos M. Morel et al.

Promoção e educação em saúde no âmbito da Escola de Governo em Saúde da Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública

Schools of public health should define their teaching, research, and technical cooperative programs on the basis of epidemiological, epistemological, and health care parameters, which are heavily affected by the socioeconomic context of their countries. Brazils demographic and epidemiological transition has been characterized by an increasing prevalence of diseases and risk factors associated with life styles, thus requiring an extensive and in-depth change in the countrys health care model, with a greater supply of evidence-based services and preventive and health promotion measures, including new initiatives in information, education, and communications. This article approaches the recent experience at the Brazilian National School of Public Health, which has added to its long-standing academic tradition with a strategic reorientation known as the School of Governance in Health, including distance education as one of its main teaching options. Given Brazils prevailing social and health situation, we conclude by highlighting the importance of training health professionals and promoting research and technological development in the fields of health promotion and education within the context of the School of Governance in Health at the National School of Public Health.

Zika virus and microcephaly in Brazil: a scientific agenda

Liberado em acesso aberto como parte de acordo para tornar publico todos os dados produzidos sobre o virus zika - Compartilhamento de dados em emergencias de saude publica - http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/Media-office/Press-releases/2016/WTP060169.htm

Globalização, pobreza e saúde

This paper analyses the relationship between globalization, poverty and health, defining and presenting the main characteristics of contemporary globalization. It also establishes the characteristics of poverty today, both globally and regionally. Reviewing articles and world reports, it presents a set of evidence on the relationships between globalization and poverty, as well as their influence on health. Furthermore, it presents the opportunities offered by globalization, through a series of worldwide initiatives prompted by actions among countries under the aegis of the United Nations in general and the WHO in particular, in addition to intergovernmental alliances and coalitions and other civil society representatives.