Is “Sustainable Development” a concept that integrates Health Literacy and Health Policy as a global health action?

Exclusively written for the Sting by Ms Bruna Schwaab, student of Medicine at the Univille University in Joinville City, Brazil. Ms Schwaab is afiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA).

Health Literacy is the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decision (CDC, 2015). In addition, a health policy can be defined by a law, regulation, procedure, administrative action, incentive, or voluntary practice of governments and other institutions capable of generating long-term benefits and equity in health systems (CDC, 2015). Both of them bound the concept of global health that is integrated by Sustainable Development, whose aim is to promote equity through public policies, and depends on actions of good governance and democracy of the nations.

The progression of Sustainable Development is to achieve WHO’s goals as to end the epidemic of tropical neglected diseases (NTDs); to end infectious diseases as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; to combat hepatitis; to reduce mortality due to environmental factors as air, pollution and water. The goals of sustainable development cannot be achieved when there is a high prevalence of debilitating illness and poverty, and the health of a population cannot be maintained without a responsive health system and a healthy environment (WHO, 2003). Then, we need to create polices that can be conducted by improving sanitation in poor countries in this case. In spite of this, health and disease are linkage with socioeconomics determinants as poverty, housing and environment conditions, but it depends on every individual understanding. For the full article click here 

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