190777 Social Medicine as a Builder of Bridges / La medicina social como constructora de puentes

Monday, October 27, 2008: 2:30 PM

Victor W. Sidel, MD , Distinguished University Professor of Social Medicine, Montifiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Matthew Anderson, MD, MSc , Department of Family and Social Medcine, Montefiore Medical Center, Family Health Center, Bronx, NY
Peter Selwyn, MD, MPH , Department of Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
The founders of the APHA Medical Care Section in 1948 argued that medical care had an important role in public health practice and that public health had an important role in medical practice, a linkage provided by social medicine. The blossoming of community health centers during the 1960s brought further evidence of the importance of this linkage. As APHA becomes increasingly concerned with health in the developing world, the social medicine is an important bridge between the global North and the global South. As APHA seeks ways to improve the health of Spanish-speaking people in the United States, Stronger bridges are needed between Spanish and English language and culture. Social medicine has a vital role in building these bridges.

En 1948, los fundadores de la Sección de Atención Médica APHA argumentaron que la atención médica jugaba un papel importante en la práctica de la salud pública, y que la salud pública jugaba un papel importante en la práctica médica: vínculo brindado por la medicina social. El florecimiento de centros comunitarios de salud en los años 60s evidenció la importancia de este vínculo, ya que el interés de APHA en la salud del tercer mundo crece, la medicina social es un puente importante entre el norte y el sur. Para mejorar la salud de la población hispana de los Estados Unidos se necesitan fortalecer los puentes entre las culturas y los que hablan los idiomas hipanos y anglo. En esto, la medicina social tiene un rol vital.

Learning Objectives:
Recognize and discuss the unique experience of social medicine in combining personal medical care with a public health perspective.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Professor of Social Medicine
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.