Online Program

328758
Anarchism and public health: Forgotten principles in the analysis of health problematics in a sick society


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

Jose F. Colón-Burgos, BA, MS, DrPHstudent, Departement of Social Science , Social determinants of Health program, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
Antonio De Moya, PhD, MPH, Graduate School of Public Health, Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Howard Waitzkin, MD, PhD, Department of Sociology and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy, University of New Mexico, Loves Park, IL
Within the public health and other health sciences, given the hegemonic presence of the pathological biomedical approach and the biological ideology inspired by the positivist paradigm, there is a lack of key social theoretical discussions to achieve understanding of the "causes of the causes " of diseases. Before a concrete definition of public health as a discipline, there were scientists and health professionals proposing an interdisciplinary perspective in the search of the origins of health and disease. Much of the principles, values, beliefs, and concepts within this perspective were originated from an ideological and philosophical vision; proponent of an alternative redistribution of social power called anarchism. The positivist conception in health and social sciences limits possible interventions that can be implemented to lessen the aspects of social reality that affects the population health outcomes. This presentation aims to contribute to the epistemology of public health providing evidence to support the relevance of anarchist philosophical principles with in the public health discipline. It is possible to hypothesize that anarchism has inspired the key principles of health promotion and public health education. Through a systematic review of the literature, this paper has the intention of contributing with evidence that support the influence of anarchist principles in the design and practice of public health.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify anarchist literature that addressed health issues such as social and cultural determinants of health and disease. Demonstrate how anarchist perspective contributes to the critical analysis of the capitalist system and its influence on health outcomes.

Keyword(s): Theory

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a social scientist and political activist in my island country I have been submerged in the study of social theory and its different schools of thoughts looking for a possible understanding of the complex relations that occur in an abstract but tangible context that what we call life.
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.