Primary Health Care in Cuba

The Other Revolution

By (author) Linda M. Whiteford, Laurence G. Branch

Publication date:

05 December 2007

Length of book:

150 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

240x160mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780742559943

As health care concerns grow in the U.S., medical anthropologist Linda M. Whiteford and social psychologist Larry G. Branch present their findings on a health care anomaly, from an unlikely source.

Primary Health Care in Cuba examines the highly successful model of primary health care in Cuba following the 1959 Cuban Revolution. This model, developed during a time of dramatic social and political change, created a preventive care system to better provide equity access to health care. Cuba's recognition as a paragon of health care has earned praise from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Pan American Health Organization. In this book, Whiteford and Branch explore the successes of Cuba's preventive primary health care system and its contribution to global health.
Linda M. Whiteford and Laurence G. Branch have produced an important, detailed, and historically grounded analysis of 'Cuba's jewel'—the community-based primary health care system. They examine its evolution, structure, and effectiveness in addressing public health issues, as well as specific medical needs related to child and maternal health, control of infectious diseases, and treatment of chronic health problems. The key lessons that the authors distill from this timely case study are both relevant and applicable to health care systems in other countries, including the United States. The subject matter and straightforward prose ensure that this book will be an invaluable tool for policy makers, public health and biomedical professionals, social scientists, and well-suited for widespread classroom use.