Contexte: De récentes études ont explicitement démontré que les communautés d’immigrants doivent affronter des difficultés particulières afin d'accéder aux services de santé et font face à des disparités sanitaires significatives, subissant l'effet de déterminants sociaux sous-jacents de la santé (DSS). Les immigrants représentant un pourcentage grandissant de la population dans de nombreux pays développés, mieux comprendre et supprimer ces barrières est une des grandes priorités. En se fondant sur l'utilisation d'une structure DSS, cette thèse contribue aux recherches actuelles concernant l'accès aux services de santé parmi les populations d'immigrants bangladais dans trois villes internationales : Lisbonne (Portugal), Bruxelles (Belgique) et Boston (Massachusetts, U.S.A.). À cet effet, elle apporte des précisions sur les données qualitatives limitées disponibles concernant les communautés immigrantes bangladaises qui vivent sur les sites de recherche mentionnés ci-dessus.Résultats: Les résultats obtenus ont montré que les immigrants bangladais vivant sur ces trois sites de recherche possèdent une vision généralement holistique de la santé et du bien-être. Les pressions de l'acculturation et l'isolement social constituent deux des DSS pertinents ayant une influence sur la santé et l'accès aux services sanitaires. Parmi les principaux enjeux de santé et besoins en soins de cette communauté, les problèmes de santé mentale et l'isolement social, l'alimentation et les habitudes alimentaires, le manque d'activité physique, des niveaux élevés de diabète et de maladies cardiovasculaires ont été identifiés comme facteurs influençant. Certaines valeurs culturelles associées à des motivations d'ordre économique peuvent conditionner l'importance que les individus accordent à leur santé. A titre d'exemple, l'obligation envers la famille, profondément ancrée dans la culture bangladaise, se traduit souvent chez les immigrants travaillant à l'étranger par un sentiment de pression économique et se manifeste par un stress chronique et un déséquilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie personnelle. La communication et les barrières linguistiques apparaissent comme étant les principaux freins à l'engagement des immigrants bangladais avec les prestataires de soins. Enfin, le type ainsi que le contexte de l'immigration joue un rôle important dans l'utilisation des services de santé par les immigrants bangladais: le sentiment d’être dans une situation transitoire sur le lieu où ils se trouvent tel qu'à Lisbonne et Bruxelles, en opposition à une perspective d'établissement plus permanent tel qu'à Boston, semble influencer l'utilisation active de soins de santé continus.Conclusion: Les problèmes de santé de chaque individu, la situation de leur statut d'immigrant et les circonstances familiales ont joué un rôle sur la manière dont les membres de la communauté bangladaise ont accédé et utilisé les services de santé sur chaque site de recherche. Bien que les liens sociaux au sein des communautés bangladaises vivant à l'étranger soient forts, tous les individus ne se trouvaient pas nécessairement en contact avec les membres de leur communauté. Ceci met en exergue le besoin d'un engagement et d'une sensibilisation auprès des immigrants susceptibles de ne pas bénéficier de la protection du capital social de leur communauté. Cette dissertation a permis de dresser le profil des déterminants sociaux influençant l'accès aux services de santé de la communauté immigrante bangladaise, avec pour objectif d'informer les professionnels travaillant avec cette population. A cet effet, les conclusions de cette recherche seront partagées avec les participants et intervenants de chaque site d'études afin de renforcer la compréhension des communautés immigrantes bangladaises et accroître les ressources mises à leur disposition. / Background: Recent studies clearly identify that immigrant communities experience specific challenges in accessing health care services, and face significant health disparities, that are impacted by underlying social determinants of health (SDH). As immigrants comprise an increasing percentage of the population in many developed nations, a better understanding and eliminating of these barriers is a major priority. Using an SDH framework, this dissertation contributes to the current research regarding access to health services among Bangladeshi immigrant populations in three international cities: Lisbon (Portugal), Brussels (Belgium), and Boston (MA-USA). In doing so, it expands upon the limited qualitative data available that concerns Bangladeshi immigrant communities living in these aforementioned research sites.Methods: This dissertation utilized a qualitative descriptive research design to comprehend issues from the perspective of both immigrant community members and service providers. The findings presented in this study, therefore, focus on data analyzed from 45 original in-depth interviews with Bangladeshi immigrant community members (n=32) and service providers (n=13) across Lisbon, Brussels, and Boston. Data was collected primarily using a semi-structured interview guide.Results: Bangladeshi immigrants living across the three research sites possess an overall holistic view of health and well-being according to results. Relevant SDH affecting health and accessing health services included pressures of acculturation and social isolation. The following were identified as some of the key community health issues and care needs: mental health and social isolation, food and dietary habits, lack of exercise, high levels of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Certain cultural values coupled with economic motivators may influence the way individuals prioritize their health. For example, the obligation towards family that is deeply embedded in Bangladeshi culture often translated to feelings of economic pressure by immigrants working abroad and manifested as chronic stress and a work-life imbalance. Communication and language barriers emerged as the most prominent issue of engagement between Bangladeshi immigrants and service providers. Finally, the type and context of immigration played in important role in health service utilization by Bangladeshi immigrants: a transitory outlook on their current location such as in Lisbon and Brussels, as opposed to a more permanent outlook in Boston, appeared to influence the active uptake of continuous health care.Conclusion: Individual health priorities, immigration status, and family circumstances affected how Bangladeshi community members accessed and utilized health services at each research site. Although social networks in Bangladeshi communities abroad were strong, not all individuals were necessarily connected with their fellow community members. This underlines the need to initiate engagement and outreach to immigrant individuals who may fall outside of the protection of social capital in their community. This dissertation has established a profile of social determinants impacting access to health services for Bangladeshi immigrant communities, with the purposes of informing professionals working within this population. As such, results will be shared with participants and stakeholders at each of the study sites in order to strengthen the understanding of and resources available to Bangladeshi immigrant communities.

Through a research partnership with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and using mixed methods participatory action research this Dissertation critically engages with dominant Western-based knowledge systems of well-being from a decolonizing standpoint to better understand the determinants of Indigenous health and well-being. This study specifically asks: what are the main factors effecting different dimensions of well-being for Indigenous peoples living in urban centres, how does engaging in traditional land-based activities and cultural ways of life affect well-being, and to what extent does intergenerational trauma impact well-being? Thirteen key informant interviews were conducted with FNHA members involved in the development of the First Nations Perspective on Health and Wellness (FNPOW) to garner knowledge about the thoughts, feelings, belief systems, values, and knowledge frameworks that are embedded in this perspective. A multi-level statistical model was developed informed by the First Nations Perspective on Health and Wellness, the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey and 2011 National Household Survey, to produce health and wellness outcomes. Using a strength-based approach to well-being this study shows that the FNPOW advocates self-determination, and implementing the perspective in research work offers a pathway to generating measures of health and wellness rooted in Traditional knowledge systems, and a pathway to decolonizing bodies. These outcomes are a form of social capital reflective of Indigenous values that can be utilized as a resource to strengthen community capacity to support Indigenous self-determination. / Graduate

BACKGROUND: Behavioral risk factors are known to co-occur among youth, and to increase risks of chronic diseases morbidity and mortality later in life. However, little is known about determinants of multiple chronic disease behavioral risk factors, particularly among youth. Previous studies have been cross-sectional and carried out without a sound theoretical framework. METHODS: Using longitudinal data (n = 1135) from Cycle 4 (2000-2001), Cycle 5 (2002-2003) and Cycle 6 (2004-2005) of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, a nationally representative sample of Canadian children who are followed biennially, the present study examines the influence of a set of conceptually-related individual/social distal variables (variables situated at an intermediate distance from behaviors), and individual/social ultimate variables (variables situated at an utmost distance from behaviors) on the rate of occurrence of multiple behavioral risk factors (physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and high body mass index) in a sample of children aged 10-11 years at baseline. Multiple behavioral risk factors were assessed using a multiple risk factor score. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS, version 9.1, and SUDAAN, version 9.01. RESULTS: Multivariate longitudinal Poisson models showed that social distal variables including parental/peer smoking and peer drinking (Log-likelihood ratio (LLR) = 187.86, degrees of freedom (DF) = 8, p < .001), as well as individual distal variables including low self-esteem (LLR = 76.94, DF = 4, p < .001) increased the rate of occurrence of multiple behavioral risk factors. Individual ultimate variables including age, sex, and anxiety (LLR = 9.34, DF = 3, p < .05), as well as social ultimate variables including family socioeconomic status, and family structure (LLR = 10.93, DF = 5, p = .05) contributed minimally to the rate of co-occurrence of behavioral risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest targeting individual/social distal variables in prevention programs of multiple chronic disease behavioral risk factors among youth.

The progression of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) among type II diabetics is preventable, yet complications continue to plague many. Reports show that 29.1 million people (9.3%) in the United States have diabetes, and 40% of those individuals develop ESRD. Four research questions explored the relationship between ESRD, health literacy, and healthcare. Data from 2010-2015 from the National Institute of Health (NIH) was quantitatively analyzed. The conceptual framework was the revised health service utilization theory. The target population included 3939 diverse males and females between the ages of 20-75 diagnosed with type II Diabetes. Results from Chi-square, cross-tabulation, binary, and multinomial logistic regression revealed that there is a statistically significant relationship between inadequate health literacy and ESRD (p= <0.05), inadequate health literacy and healthcare services (p= <0.05), and healthcare services and development of ESRD (p=<.001). Findings exposed significant demographic co-factor differences. Males developed ESRD more than females, and African American and Hispanic populations were almost 2 times more likely than Caucasians to develop ESRD. As participants age, odds for developing ESRD increase about 2-3 times. Both race and education were significant predictors of inadequate health literacy. African Americans and Hispanics were 3 times more likely to have inadequate health literacy than Caucasian participants. Lower education increased the odds of having inadequate health literacy approximately 7.6 times. Results show that Caucasian participants had higher education levels and private health insurance, whereas African Americans and Hispanics had lower education and no insurance or Medicaid. Implications from this research show that social determinants among vulnerable populations are impacting an individual's health literacy and ability to adequately manage their health. Evidence from this study generates social change through recognition that health literacy is fundamental when attempting to prevent chronic disease complications and promote positive health.

A Hanseníase ainda é um problema para a saúde pública e um desafio para os países endêmicos, principalmente em regiões de fronteira, onde o fluxo migratório é intenso. O estudo tem como objetivo identificar as áreas de risco para a ocorrência da hanseníase e verificar sua relação com os determinantes sociais em Foz do Iguaçu-PR. Estudo ecológico que considerou os casos novos de hanseníase notificados no município de Foz do Iguaçu no período de 2003 a 2015 e as unidades de análise foram os setores censitários urbanos. Foi realizada análise descrita dos casos novos. Em sequência, para a identificação das áreas de risco para a ocorrência da hanseníase utilizou-se a Estatística de varredura espacial e espaçotemporal e para identificação das áreas de risco para incapacidades, recorreu-se a varredura espacial e ao Estimador de intensidade Kernel. A investigação da dependência espacial foi verificada através do Moran Global, Getis-Ord G e Gi*. O Índice de Moran Bivariado Global (IMBG), Regressão por Mínimo Quadrados (OLS) e Regressão Geograficamente Ponderada (GWR) foi utilizada para verificar a associação dos determinantes sociais e o risco de adoecimento por hanseníase. Foram notificados 840 casos, onde a taxa de detecção de casos novos em homens foi 25,6/100.000 hab. e 24,9/100.000 hab. para mulheres, houve predomínio da raça/cor amarela (78,6/100.000 hab.), faixa etária >=60 anos (71,5/100.000 hab.) e ensino fundamental incompleto (60/100.000 hab.). As áreas de risco para a hanseníase e incapacidade grau 2 se concentraram no Distrito Sanitário Sul, Leste, Norte e Nordeste do município; regiões estas, caracterizadas por alta densidade populacional e pobreza. Os determinantes sociais renda (IMBG: 0,1273; p=0,001), número de moradores (IMBG: 0,0703; p=0,008), domicílios sem saneamento básico (IMBG: 0,0743; p= 0,025), pessoas da raça/cor preta (IMBG: 0,0397; p= 0,04), parda (IMBG: 0,1017; p= 0,002) e indígena (IMBG: 0,0976; p= 0,005) apresentaram correlativa positiva com o risco de hanseníase. As análises de regressão revelaram que a proporção de domicílios com renda mensal domiciliar per capita maior de um salário mínimo (? = 0,025, p = 0,036) apresenta risco menor de adoecimento por hanseníase. Enquanto, as pessoas de raça/cor parda (? = -0,101, p = 0,024) apresentam maior risco de adoecimento por hanseníase. Os resultados do estudo apontam que existe associação entre os determinantes sociais e o risco de adoecimento por hanseníase no município investigado. O investimento em políticas públicas para melhoria de distribuição de renda pode favorecer a mudança deste quadro. Os achados podem contribuir para nortear ações em saúde que auxiliem no combate e controle da hanseníase nesta região de fronteira / Leprosy is still a public health problem and a challenge for endemic countries, especially in border regions where migration flows are intense. The study aims to identify the risk areas for the occurrence of leprosy and to verify its relation with the social determinants in Foz do Iguaçu-PR. An ecological study that considered the new cases of leprosy reported in Foz do Iguaçu from 2003 to 2015 and the units of analysis were the urban census sectors. A descriptive analysis of the new cases was performed in order to identify the risk areas for the occurrence of leprosy, the spatial and time-spacial scanning statistics were used and the spatial scan and Kernel intensity estimator were used to identify areas of risk for disabilities. The investigation of spatial dependence was verified through Global Moran, Getis-Ord G and Gi *. The Global Bivariate Moran Index (IMBG), Minimum Squares Regression (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) were used to verify the association of social determinants and the risk of illness due to leprosy. 840 cases were reported, where the detection rate of new cases in men was 25.6/100,000 inhabitants and 24.9/100,000 inhabitants for women, there was a predominance of yellow color / race (78.6/100,000 inhabitants), age group >=60 years (71.5/100,000 inhabitants) and incomplete elementary school (60/100,000 inhabitants). Areas at risk for leprosy and degree of disability 2 were concentrated in the South, East, North and Northeast Health District of the city; regions, characterized by high population density and poverty. The social determinants of income (IMBG: 0.1273, p = 0.001), number of residents (IMBG: 0.0703, p = 0.008), households without basic sanitation (IMBG: 0.0743, p = 0.025) (IMBG: 0.0976, p = 0.04), black color/race (IMBG: 0.1017, p = 0.002) and native color/race (IMBG: 0.0976; p = 0.005) presented a positive correlation with the risk of leprosy. The regression analysis revealed that the proportion of households with monthly household income per capita greater than a minimum wage (? = 0.025, p = 0.036) had the lowest risk of illness due to leprosy. While people of black race/color (? = -0.101, p = 0.024) are at higher risk of illness due to leprosy. The results of the study indicate that there is an association between the social determinants and the risk of illness due to leprosy in the city under investigation. The investment in public policies to improve income distribution can favor the change of this framework. The findings may contribute to health actions that help combat and control leprosy in this border region

A tuberculose é uma das dez principais causas de morte dentre as doenças infecciosas no mundo, o que evidencia a doença como um problema de saúde pública. A redução da mortalidade por tuberculose em 95% até 2035, proposta pela Estratégia End TB, tem sido desafiadora para o Brasil devido sua extensão territorial, variações culturais e desigualdades na distribuição dos recursos de proteção social e de saúde. Assim, buscou-se analisar a relação espacial e espaço-temporal dos determinantes sociais e o risco de mortes por tuberculose em Cuiabá. Trata-se de um estudo ecológico, realizado na cidade de Cuiabá, capital do estado de Mato Grosso. As unidades de análise do estudo foram as Unidades de Desenvolvimento Humano (UDHs) e a população foi constituída por casos de óbitos que apresentaram como causa básica a TB registrados no Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (SIM) entre 2006 a 2016, residentes na zona urbana do município. Para identificação das áreas de risco das mortes por tuberculose, utilizou-se a estatística de varredura. Em seguida, recorreu-se à técnica da Análise de Componentes Principais que permitiu a elaboração das dimensões dos determinantes sociais. A associação entre os determinantes sociais e as áreas de risco das mortes por tuberculose foi obtida, por meio da regressão logística binária. As modelagens Bayesianas foram empregadas, por meio da abordagem Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA), para verificar os riscos relativos temporais e espaciais e avaliar sua a relação com covariáveis representativas dos determinantes sociais. Nesse período foram registradas 225 mortes por tuberculose, identificou-se aglomerado de risco para a mortalidade por tuberculose, com RR = 2,09 (IC95% = 1,48-2,94; p = 0,04). No modelo logístico, os determinantes sociais relacionados ao déficit escolar e pobreza estiveram associados ao aglomerado de risco de mortes por tuberculose (OR=2,92; IC95% = 1,17-7,28), a renda apresentou uma associação negativa (OR=0,05; IC95% = 0,00 - 0,70). O valor da curva ROC do modelo foi de 92,1%. Em relação aos modelos Bayesianos observou-se redução do risco de morte por tuberculose entre 2006 (RR=1,03) e 2016 (RR=0,98) e ainda áreas de risco que persistem por mais de uma década. Dentre os determinantes sociais, a renda foi um importante fator associado ao risco de morte por tuberculose, sendo que o aumento de um desvio padrão na renda correspondeu à diminuição de 31% no risco de mortalidade por tuberculose. Os resultados do estudo apontam que existe associação entre os determinantes sociais e o risco de mortalidade por tuberculose no município investigado, sendo este um fenômeno que persiste no tempo. O investimento em políticas públicas de melhoria de distribuição de renda pode favorecer a mudança dessa realidade. Espera-se que os achados possam nortear gestores e trabalhadores no âmbito local e regional / Tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death among infectious diseases in the world, which shows the disease as a public health problem. The reduction of tuberculosis mortality by 95% up to 2035, proposed by the End TB Strategy, has been challenging for Brazil due to its territorial extension, cultural variations and inequalities in the distribution of social protection and health resources. Thus, we sought to analyze the spatial and spatial-temporal relationship of social determinants and the risk of deaths from tuberculosis in Cuiabá.This is an ecological study conducted in the city of Cuiaba, capital of Mato Grosso. The units of analysis of the study were the Human Development Units (UDHs) and the population was constituted by cases of deaths that presented the basic cause of TB registered in the Mortality Information System (SIM) between 2006 and 2016, of the municipality.To identify the risk areas for tuberculosis deaths, the scan statistic was used. Next, we used the technique of Principal Component Analysis that allowed the elaboration of the dimensions of social determinants. The association between social determinants and risk areas for tuberculosis deaths was obtained through binary logistic regression. Bayesian modeling was used, through the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) approach, to verify temporal and spatial relative risks and to evaluate its relationship with covariables representative of social determinants. During this period, there were 225 deaths due to tuberculosis and a risk cluster was identified for tuberculosis mortality, with RR = 2.09 (IC95% = 1.48-2.94, p = 0.04). In the logistic model, the social determinants related to school deficit and poverty were associated with the risk cluster of deaths due to tuberculosis (OR = 2.92, IC95% = 1.17-7.28), income had a negative association (OR = 0.05, IC95% = 0.00 - 0.70). The value of the ROC curve of the model was 92.1%. In relation to Bayesian models, there was a reduction in the risk of death due to tuberculosis between 2006 (RR = 1.03) and 2016 (RR = 0.98), as well as risk areas that persisted for more than a decade. Among the social determinants, income was an important factor associated with the risk of death due to tuberculosis, and the increase of a standard deviation in the income corresponded to a 31% decrease in the risk of mortality due to tuberculosis. The results of the study indicate that there is an association between the social determinants and the risk of mortality due to tuberculosis in the municipality under investigation, which is a phenomenon that persists over time. Investment in public policies to improve income distribution may favor a change in this reality. It is hoped that the findings will guide managers and workers at local and regional levels

Introduction Schistosomiasis is one of the most important and widespread diseases of rural poverty. Worldwide, approximately 779 million people are at risk of infection, with 207 million already infected. Infections with Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworms and Trichuris trichiura, collectively known as the soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), are also highly endemic throughout the tropics, particularly in resource-poor settings. An estimated 1 billion people worldwide are estimated to be infected with STHs. Schistosomes and STHs often co-exist in the same epidemiological settings and, given the high prevalence of concurrent multiple species infections (multiparasitism), a combined approach to prevention and control could lead to significant improvements, including reducing costs associated with single-species control programmes. In China, rigorous national schistosomiasis control efforts over the past 60 years have decreased the prevalence by over 90%; however, since 2000 the number of infected individuals has been rising, possibly indicative of a re-emergence. Fishermen, migrant communities and poor households in rural areas may be most at risk of single and multiple-species parasitic infections and the associated morbidity. Objectives This Ph.D. thesis is structured according to four main goals and a number of specific objectives: Firstly, to update estimates of S. japonicum prevalence, intensity and associated morbidity levels in Hunan province, China, according to the third national PES carried out in 2004; Secondly, to investigate existing barriers in access to preventive, diagnostic and treatment services for advanced schistosomiasis; Thirdly, to compare and evaluate direct and proxy methods of measuring household socio-economic position, according to data on income, savings and asset-based estimations of wealth; and Finally, to explore and identify behavioural, demographic, economic, environmental and social risk factors associated with the distribution of S. japonicum, STHs and multiple species infections, in two villages of the Dongting Lake region, Hunan province, China. Methods Firstly, we used data from the third national schistosomiasis periodic epidemiological survey (PES) of 2004. In Hunan province, the PES was carried out in 47 villages of the endemic Dongting lake area. A total of 47144 human serological, 7205 stool, and 3893 clinical examinations were performed. For the reservoir hosts, stools from 874 buffaloes and other domestic animals were examined for schistosomiasis by the miracidial hatching test. Secondly, we conducted an in-depth study involving interviews with 66 schistosomiasis control staff and 79 advanced schistosomiasis patient, and six focus group discussions (FGDs), in the Dongting lake region, between August 2002 and February 2003. Using the Health-Access Livelihood framework we examined availability, accessibility, affordability, adequacy and acceptability of schistosomiasis control in the Dongting lake area. Lastly, we carried out two village-wide parasitological, clinical and questionnaire-based investigations between October and December 2006. Parasitological examinations for the prevalence of S. japonicum and the STHs were performed by the Kato-Katz thick smear method, with repeated sampling of each individual. We took fingerprick blood samples to assess haemoglobin levels, using a B-haemoglobin HemoCue photometer. The household-based questionnaire focused on direct and proxy measurements of household wealth, while the individual-based questionnaire focused on demographic and behavioural factors, treatment history and self-perceived symptoms. Results Human sero-prevalence was 11.9% (range: 1.3-34.9% at village level), and the rate of egg-positive stools was 1.9% (0-10.9%) for the same population. The prevalence of infection among buffaloes was 9.5% (0-66.7%). Extrapolating to the entire population of the Dongting Lake region, an estimated 73225 people and 13973 buffaloes were infected. Most frequently reported symptoms were abdominal pain (6.2%) and bloody stools (2.7%). Accessibility and affordability were major barriers in access to schistosomiasis control. Many of staff interviewed indicated that a majority of patients who develop advanced schistosomiasis resided in mildly-endemic or non-endemic settings. None of the patients interviewed had any form of health insurance, and most of their health expenses were out-of-pocket payments. Exploratory factor analysis generated internally robust proxy wealth indices, however these were not complementary to direct measures of household wealth, as indicated by low correlation co-efficients. We found wide disparities in household ownership of durable assets, utility and sanitation, within both settings. Pooled data from the rural and peri-urban settings highlighted structural differences in socioeconomic position (SEP), more likely a result of localised urbanization and modernization. We found higher infection prevalences in rural settings, than in peri-urban settings, for schistosomiasis (6.3% and 6.7% respectively), ascariasis (8.3% and 2.2%, respectively) and trichuriasis (5.1% and 0.5%, respectively), but lower for hookworms (0.1% and 1.5% respectively). Multiple species infections (2.6% and 0.2%, respectively) were less prevalent than single species infections (14.5% and 10.4%). There were significant disparities in the prevalence of parasitic infections between poorest and least poor quintiles of the cohort population. Anaemia and other symptoms, especially headache, stomach ache and swollen stomach, were common in both rural and peri-urban village settings. Conclusion The studies conducted within the framework of this Ph.D. thesis document the current situation pertaining to schistosomiasis and the STHs in Hunan province, China. Our findings highlight the need for increased surveillance, monitoring and health education, with relation to schistosomiasis and STHs, in non-endemic or post-transmission control settings. Based upon these results, we call for improved diagnostic tools, particularly in the case of low intensity infections and for hookworm, and propose an extension of the use of available infrastructure, human resources, knowledge and technology by integrating prevention and control of schistosomiasis with that of other intestinal helminths, particularly STHs. In the future, our studies may form a base from which to further examine local needs and priorities for parasitic disease control in the area.

Background: The importance of tackling economic, social and health-related inequities is increasingly accepted as a core concern for the post-Millennium Development Goal framework. However, there is a global dearth of high-quality, policy-relevant and actionable data on inequities within populations, which means that development solutions seldom focus on the people who need them most. INTREC (INDEPTH Training and Research Centres of Excellence) was established with this concern in mind. It aims to provide training for researchers from the INDEPTH network on associations between health inequities, the social determinants of health (SDH), and health outcomes, and on presenting their findings in a usable form to policy makers. Objective: As part of a baseline situation analysis for INTREC, this paper assesses the current status of SDH training in three of the African INTREC countries - Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa - as well as the gaps, barriers, and opportunities for training. Methods: SDH-related courses from the three countries were identified through personal knowledge of the researchers, supplemented by snowballing and online searches. Interviews were also conducted with, among others, academics engaged in SDH and public health training in order to provide context and complementary material. Information regarding access to the Internet, as a possible INTREC teaching medium, was gathered in each country through online searches. Results: SDH-relevant training is available, but 1) the number of places available for students is limited; 2) the training tends to be public-health-oriented rather than inclusive of the broader, multi-sectoral issues associated with SDH; and 3) insufficient funding places limitations on both students and on the training institutions themselves, thereby affecting participation and quality. We also identified rapidly expanding Internet connectivity in all three countries, which opens up opportunities for e-learning on SDH, though the current quality of the Internet services remains mixed. Conclusions: SDH training is currently in short supply, and there is a clear role for INTREC to contribute to the training of a critical mass of African researchers on the topic. This work will be accomplished most effectively by building on pre-existing networks, institutions, and methods.

This thesis looks at fundamental disagreements about the role of society in the delivery of health care services. In particular, it develops an argument for viewing health care as a human right, and in doing so, argues that society is at least partially responsible for the health of its members. In the first section of the thesis, I argue that health is a human need, and that the institutional goal of health care is to restore to an individual their health. As an institution, health care is a primary social good and, as such, it ought to be afforded the same institutional protections as other primary social goods, and encoded as a “human right.” In the second section, I tackle the “Difficult Costs” objection, noting that while there is high financial cost associated with the provision of health care services, the moral and social cost of not providing health care and viewing it as a human right far outweighs the financial costs. With another appeal to Rawlsian principles, by way of reflective equilibrium, I argue that the design of an institution is paramount to the cost-effective distribution of health care resources in accordance with the view that health care is a human right. In the final section, I acknowledge that the objections to health care as a human right should be taken seriously, and that they form the basis of the limits to this right. I argue that any right to health care cannot be extended beyond the restoration of basic, species-typical normal human function. I acknowledge that the Rawlsian ideal has difficulty rendering decisions where priority is a central concern. Finally, I suggest that these limitations can be overcome when the right to health care is viewed as progressively realizable, in conjunction with other basic human rights.

This thesis looks at fundamental disagreements about the role of society in the delivery of health care services. In particular, it develops an argument for viewing health care as a human right, and in doing so, argues that society is at least partially responsible for the health of its members. In the first section of the thesis, I argue that health is a human need, and that the institutional goal of health care is to restore to an individual their health. As an institution, health care is a primary social good and, as such, it ought to be afforded the same institutional protections as other primary social goods, and encoded as a “human right.” In the second section, I tackle the “Difficult Costs” objection, noting that while there is high financial cost associated with the provision of health care services, the moral and social cost of not providing health care and viewing it as a human right far outweighs the financial costs. With another appeal to Rawlsian principles, by way of reflective equilibrium, I argue that the design of an institution is paramount to the cost-effective distribution of health care resources in accordance with the view that health care is a human right. In the final section, I acknowledge that the objections to health care as a human right should be taken seriously, and that they form the basis of the limits to this right. I argue that any right to health care cannot be extended beyond the restoration of basic, species-typical normal human function. I acknowledge that the Rawlsian ideal has difficulty rendering decisions where priority is a central concern. Finally, I suggest that these limitations can be overcome when the right to health care is viewed as progressively realizable, in conjunction with other basic human rights.