Cross posted from: EQUIDAD@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.