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Public health in pluricultural contexts. Advances and setbacks

Abstract:

Culture constitutes a dynamic complex of knowledge, beliefs, behaviors learned and transmitted through generations, through language and everyday life. The concept of culture is related to the health-disease process since the social, spiritual, psychological and biological well-being of individuals and communities is an expression of the environment, lifestyle, housing, food, education and adequate access to goods and services. In the field of health, traditional medicine developed by indigenous peoples is identified; folk medicine based on family and community beliefs; and professional medicine, based on scientific study. Indigenous medicine is characterized by the holistic care of the subject, affordability and access in populations where the official health systems do not have a presence, however, it is under recognition by governments. This study aims to reflect on the importance of promoting interculturality in health based on the needs, organization and worldview of indigenous peoples from the intercultural approach. A panorama is presented that addresses with a current perspective, the particularities of interculturality and multiculturalism in the multicultural context, which contributes to a better understanding of the need to resize health systems based on the elements provided by the intercultural approach such as model of frank humanist conception, in contrast to the current hegemonic model of health, which favors inequalities in health.