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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Harry E. Mika, PhD, Department of Sociology, Anthroplogy, and Social Work, Central Michigan University, Anspach Hall 142, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, 231.796.4448, harry.mika@cmich.edu and Renee O. Mika, OD, Michigan College of Optometry, Ferris State University, 1310 Cramer Circle, Pennock 422, Big Rapids, MI 49307.

The human rights discourse is largely unfamiliar to most Americans. But incontrovertible evidence of the absence of such rights, the fact that many millions of our citizens are affected by gross disparities in health care, suggests their currency, and indeed their urgency. This paper will explore a comprehensive application of a human rights framework for community public health, along three interrelated dimensions. First, it will be proposed that all activities related to community public health should contribute to the realization of human rights. We cannot achieve a human rights-based approach to public health if our work is only indirectly, or incidentally, related to the realization of human rights. Second, human rights standards and principles must permeate all phases of the community public health programming process, from planning and design considerations, through program implementation, to monitoring and evaluation. Third, a human rights framework requires that the community public health agenda extend to the development of capacities of duty-bearers – government – to meet their obligations, and the capacities of rights-holders to know and claim their rights. In the end, a compelling rationale for promoting a human rights framework is its salience in the efforts to confront disparities in the public health.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session participants should be able to

• articulate the elements of a human rights framework, appropriate for community public health practice;
• apply fundamental human rights standards and principles to the pragmatic circumstances and context of community public health; and
• identify linkages between the advancement of a human rights framework, and addressing fundamental disparities in public health.

Keywords: Human Rights, Community-Based Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation