Mental health reflects an array of causal influences that span biological, psychological, and social circumstances, with resultant underlying causal pathways to poor mental health outcomes in childhood that are complex. Key features of this complexity are reciprocal interactions between person and environment that take place over time. The core of this thesis seeks to attend to the complexity of development to move the field of developmental health forward toward greater explanation, and more successful prediction and prevention. The focal point of the thesis is the psychosocial determinants of childhood mental health, the resource domain of the developing child, and the interplay between characteristics of the individual child, the family, and the community. The eventual goal is to better understand why and how socioeconomic circumstances impact on developmental health. One component of this thesis focuses on the expansion of extant developmental theory. The other component focuses on the development of an analytic strategy that more appropriately reflects the intricacies of this theoretical expansion. In the process, data are analysed, principally as a heuristic strategy, to illustrate the analytical approach needed to support the theoretical framework. The specification of a bioecological conceptual framework suitable to guide research and policy in developmental health is the first principal objective of the thesis. A critical examination of the resource framework proposed by Brooks-Gunn, Brown, Duncan, and Anderson Moore (1995) reveals it to be centred on family and community resources, but otherwise silent with respect to the physical and psychological resources of the child. The quintessential point of this thesis is that theory in developmental health must be able to account for the contribution individuals make to their own development. A modified resource framework is proposed that acknowledges financial, physical, human, and social capital, within the domains of the individual child, the family, and the community. The second principal objective of the thesis, the development of analytical methods that focus on the individual child and the complexity of data generated by this theoretical approach, is then introduced. Theory and method are thus integrated when comprehensive measures of characteristics in multiple domains across developmental periods are modeled using longitudinal data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study (Newnham, Evans, Michael, Stanley, & Landau, 1993). The mothers of 2,860 children were enrolled at 18 weeks in pregnancy and the children have been followed at birth, one, two, three, five, and eight years of age. Eighty-nine per cent (2,537 /2,860) of families were available for follow-up at eight and 74 per cent (2,126/2,860) of families responded. Extensive demographic, psychological, and developmental data were available for the children and their families and a limited amount of data were available for the communities in which they reside. A measure of mental health morbidity, the Child Behaviour Checklist (Achenbach, 1991), was available for the children at two, five, and eight years of age. In the first instance, dichotomous summary variables are derived for the demographic, psychological, and developmental variables of interest. Variables are then selected for inclusion in one of several explanatory models. To create a mathematical representation of resource characteristics, the information for each child is concatenated as a series of binary strings. Frequency tabulation is then used to aggregate the data and odds ratios are calculated to determine the degree of risk associated with each string of code, or pattern of factors relative to a nominated mental health outcome. The results provided a scaffold from which this theoretical and analytical approach is compared and contrasted with the reviewed literature. Two principal themes of investigation are pursued. The first theme to be examined is the interplay between characteristics of the child, family, and community and the contribution children make to their own development. The specific approach models the interaction between selected characteristics of the child, family and community in each of four developmentally significant time periods. The theoretical position adopted in the present study suggests that the effect of any personal or contextual factor on later development, if a relationship does truly exist, is most likely to be differential. That is, it is a combination of influences that determines developmental outcomes for children, not any single factor acting independently. The modelling process demonstrates that, for the children involved, personal and contextual factors impact mental health differentially depending on various other individual, family and/or community characteristics. The modelling process identifies patterns of factors that impact relatively small, but significant, numbers of children because the models focus on the effect for individual children rather than the effect for the group. For example, one model suggests that the effect of intra-uterine growth restriction for the group as a whole may be minimal, but the impact for some children could be critical depending on the combination of family and community influences, such as the mothers level of education, the family’s experience of significant life stress, and residence in a relatively disadvantaged community. The second theme to be examined is the possibility that the accumulation of resource deficits or risk characteristics, over time, amplifies the likelihood of mental health problems in childhood. The approach models selected characteristics of the child in each of the four periods of development collectively, and it also models selected characteristics spanning each of the four time periods discretely. The results suggest that latency, pathway, and recency effects may operate simultaneously, and that timing and accumulated burden may both be important determinants of risk. For example, with regard to children whose family experienced life stress, these three effects operated in a systematic way to increase the degree of risk of a mental health problem. In summary, the aggregation of data at the individual level is a productive approach in seeking to explain population level social phenomena. While seemingly paradoxical, the identification of the joint, interactive effects between individual, family, and community characteristics, better allows for the quantification of family and community characteristics operating through multiple causal pathways.

Justificativa: As Internações por Condições Sensíveis à Atenção Básica são um conjunto de problemas de saúde, para os quais o acesso aos serviços de AB e ações efetivas poderiam reduzir a ocorrência destas internações, tornando-as um indicador de resultado para avaliação da qualidade e do acesso nesse nível de atenção. Assim, analisou-se o indicador de ICSAB, buscando fatores associados à sua ocorrência, a fim de avaliar a sua capacidade de verificar a resolutividade da atenção básica. Métodos: Realizou-se uma análise exploratória descritiva do ICSAB nas sete macrorregiões de saúde e 30 regiões de saúde do Rio Grande do Sul, com base na Cobertura de Saúde da Família, seguida de uma revisão da produção indexada sobre ICSAB, com o objetivo de verificar quais fatores estão correlacionados com o desfecho ICSAB. Por fim desenvolveu-se um estudo ecológico com medidas agregadas, testando o grau de correlação linear entre as variáveis selecionadas a partir da revisão, utilizando o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman Resultados: Foram encontrados na literatura diversos fatores correlacionados à ocorrência de ICSAB, tanto no âmbito da disponibilidade de serviços de saúde, como na perspectiva socioeconômica. Em relação a realidade do RS, encontrou-se correlação de ICSAB com quantidade de leitos (p=0.002), Proporção de pessoas com planos de saúde (p=0,001), IDH (p=0.004) e analfabetismo (p=0.001) e população menor de quatro anos (p=0,001). Considerações: O indicador ICSAB cumpre seu objetivo de tornar comparável de forma sintética a situação da Atenção Básica nas diversas possibilidades de recortes territoriais. Contudo, as variáveis que interferem nesse desfecho são diversas, operando de maneiras diferentes em cada contexto e necessitando de maior aprofundamento. Enquanto subsídio para políticas e ações de qualificação da Atenção Básica, a mudança desse indicador só ocorrerá quando esse dado servir como dispositivo inicial para entender processos complexos e locais, que ocorrerão através de processos de educação permanente. / Background: Hospitalizations for Sensitive Conditions to Primary Health Care (HSCPHC) are a group of health problems, for which access to Primary Health Care services and effective actions could reduce the occurrence of these hospitalizations, making them an outcome indicator for quality and access to this level of attention. Thus, the HSCPHC indicator was analyzed, looking for factors associated with its occurrence, in order to evaluate its capacity to verify the resolution of basic care. Methods: A descriptive exploratory analysis of the HSCPHC was carried out in the seven macro-regions of health and 30 health regions of Rio Grande do Sul, based on the Family Health Coverage, followed by a review of the indexed production on HSCBC, with the objective of verify which factors are correlated with the HSCPHC outcome. Finally, an ecological study with aggregate measures was developed, testing the degree of linear correlation between the variables selected from the review using Spearman's correlation coefficient Results: A number of factors correlated with the occurrence of HSCPHC were found in the literature, both in terms of the availability of health services and in the socioeconomic perspective. In relation to Rio Grande do Sul reality, we found a correlation of HSCBC with number of hospital beds (p = 0.002), Proportion of people with health plans (p = 0.001), HDI (p = 0.004) and illiteracy (p = 0.001) and population younger than four years (p = 0.001). Considerations: The HSCPHC indicator fulfills its objective of making the situation of Primary Health Care in the various possibilities of territorial cuts comparable in a synthetic way. However, the variables that interfere in this outcome are diverse, operating differently in each context and requiring further study. As a subsidy for policies and actions to qualify Primary Health Care, the change in this indicator will only occur when this data serves as an initial device to understand complex and local processes that will occur through processes of permanent education.

As condições de saúde do trabalhador resultam de um conjunto de determinantes de natureza individual, como a herança genética e a biologia humana, e de condicionantes econômicos, socioculturais, políticos, tecnológicos e organizacionais. Estes se expressam no modo de viver dos indivíduos e dos grupos sociais. Assim, a determinação social da saúde se verifica pelo caráter histórico-social e pelo aspecto biopsicológico dos indivíduos. Diante disso despertaram algumas inquietações: a formação em enfermagem do trabalho continua pautada no modelo hegemônico, biologicista? Será que aborda conteúdos sobre o processo de produção social da saúde-doença? Delineou-se como objetivo geral do estudo: Analisar a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho, tomando como referência a discussão da determinação social da saúde. E como objetivos específicos: a) Caracterizar o perfil acadêmico e o Projeto Político-Pedagógico (PPP) dos cursos presenciais lato sensu em enfermagem do trabalho do Rio de Janeiro; b) Analisar a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho à luz da discussão sobre a determinação social da saúde; e c) Discutir a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho e as influências do contexto social na conformação dos currículos e na prática social deste. Constitui-se um estudo de cunho qualitativo, não experimental, transversal e descritivo. Foi realizada entrevistas semi-estruturadas com coordenadores (N = 03) e discentes (N = 15) de três cursos de especialização em enfermagem do trabalho, sendo dois de instituição pública e um de instituição privada de ensino. Aplicou-se a análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Também foi realizada a análise dos PPP dos cursos, uma vez que delineiam os objetivos e/ou missão do curso, o ementário e a grade curricular. A maioria dos alunos entrevistados e um coordenador não tinham ouvido falar sobre a determinação social da saúde. Todos os cursos abordam direta ou indiretamente conteúdos relacionados a este tema. Dentro da perspectiva da Saúde Coletiva, em que se insere a Saúde do Trabalhador, a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho deve considerar a história de vida e a forma de inserção do trabalhador na sociedade, bem como suas relações de reprodução social. Contudo, verifica-se que o ensino em enfermagem do trabalho continua pautado no enfoque positivista do processo saúde-doença, estabelecendo relações entre indicadores de saúde, desconsiderando o caráter histórico-social deste processo. Dentro de uma perspectiva social ordenada pelas relações capitalistas em que vivemos, é sem dúvida difícil pensar numa outra forma de abordar o ensino das diversas profissões da saúde. Todavia, é necessário repensar a formação e atuação dos profissionais de saúde, dentro de uma ótica inter, multi e transdisciplinar apontada pelo campo Saúde Coletiva, a fim de ampliar o olhar sobre o sujeito para além da visão centrada na doença, considerando os aspectos subjetivos envolvidos na determinação social da saúde. Logo, demandam-se mudanças nas formas de pensar os currículos e de conduzir o processo ensino-aprendizagem desses profissionais de saúde. / Workers' health conditions result from many determinants of individual nature, such as genetic inheritance and human biology, and of economic, socio-cultural, political, technological and organizational conditioning factors. These factors are expressed in the way of life of individuals and social groups. Thus, the social determination of health is verified through the social-historical character and the bio-psychological aspect of individuals. In the light of that some concerns were raised: Is the occupational health nursing formation still guided by the biologicist hegemonic model? Does it handles contents on the health-disease social production process? We delineated as a general objective of the study: Analyze the formation of the occupational health nurse, with reference to the discussion of social determination of health. And as specific objectives: a) To characterize the academic profile and the political-pedagogical project (PPP) from presential lato sensu occupational health nursing courses in Rio de Janeiro; b) Analyze the formation of the occupational health nurse in the light of the discussion on the social determination of health; and c) Discuss the formation of the occupational health nurse and the influences of social context in shaping their curriculum and social practice. This constitutes a study of qualitative nature, non-experimental, cross-sectional and descriptive. It was conducted semi-structured interviews with coordinators (N = 03) and students (N = 15), from three post graduation courses in occupational health nursing, being two from public institutions and one from a private educational institution. It was applied the Bardin content analysis. It was also carried out an analysis of the courses PPP, since they delineate the objectives and/or mission of the course, the program and the curriculum. Most of the students interviewed and a coordinator had not heard about the social determination of health. All courses cover, directly or indirectly, contents related to this subject. From the Public Health perspective, in which the Occupational Health is inserted, the occupational health nurses formation should consider the life history and the form of participation of workers in society and their relations of social reproduction. However, it appears that the occupational health nursing teaching is still guided by positivist approach of health-disease process, establishing health indicators relations, disregarding the social-historical character of this process. Within a social perspective ordered by capitalist relations in which we live in, is undoubtedly difficult to think of another way to approach the teaching of the various health professions. However, it is necessary to rethink the formation and performance of health professionals, within an inter, multi and interdisciplinary perspective appointed by the Public Health field in order to broaden the view on the subject beyond the sight focused on the disease, considering the subjective aspects involved in social determination of health. So it is required changes in the ways of thinking curriculum and of conducting the teaching-learning process of these health professionals.

As condições de saúde do trabalhador resultam de um conjunto de determinantes de natureza individual, como a herança genética e a biologia humana, e de condicionantes econômicos, socioculturais, políticos, tecnológicos e organizacionais. Estes se expressam no modo de viver dos indivíduos e dos grupos sociais. Assim, a determinação social da saúde se verifica pelo caráter histórico-social e pelo aspecto biopsicológico dos indivíduos. Diante disso despertaram algumas inquietações: a formação em enfermagem do trabalho continua pautada no modelo hegemônico, biologicista? Será que aborda conteúdos sobre o processo de produção social da saúde-doença? Delineou-se como objetivo geral do estudo: Analisar a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho, tomando como referência a discussão da determinação social da saúde. E como objetivos específicos: a) Caracterizar o perfil acadêmico e o Projeto Político-Pedagógico (PPP) dos cursos presenciais lato sensu em enfermagem do trabalho do Rio de Janeiro; b) Analisar a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho à luz da discussão sobre a determinação social da saúde; e c) Discutir a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho e as influências do contexto social na conformação dos currículos e na prática social deste. Constitui-se um estudo de cunho qualitativo, não experimental, transversal e descritivo. Foi realizada entrevistas semi-estruturadas com coordenadores (N = 03) e discentes (N = 15) de três cursos de especialização em enfermagem do trabalho, sendo dois de instituição pública e um de instituição privada de ensino. Aplicou-se a análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Também foi realizada a análise dos PPP dos cursos, uma vez que delineiam os objetivos e/ou missão do curso, o ementário e a grade curricular. A maioria dos alunos entrevistados e um coordenador não tinham ouvido falar sobre a determinação social da saúde. Todos os cursos abordam direta ou indiretamente conteúdos relacionados a este tema. Dentro da perspectiva da Saúde Coletiva, em que se insere a Saúde do Trabalhador, a formação do enfermeiro do trabalho deve considerar a história de vida e a forma de inserção do trabalhador na sociedade, bem como suas relações de reprodução social. Contudo, verifica-se que o ensino em enfermagem do trabalho continua pautado no enfoque positivista do processo saúde-doença, estabelecendo relações entre indicadores de saúde, desconsiderando o caráter histórico-social deste processo. Dentro de uma perspectiva social ordenada pelas relações capitalistas em que vivemos, é sem dúvida difícil pensar numa outra forma de abordar o ensino das diversas profissões da saúde. Todavia, é necessário repensar a formação e atuação dos profissionais de saúde, dentro de uma ótica inter, multi e transdisciplinar apontada pelo campo Saúde Coletiva, a fim de ampliar o olhar sobre o sujeito para além da visão centrada na doença, considerando os aspectos subjetivos envolvidos na determinação social da saúde. Logo, demandam-se mudanças nas formas de pensar os currículos e de conduzir o processo ensino-aprendizagem desses profissionais de saúde. / Workers' health conditions result from many determinants of individual nature, such as genetic inheritance and human biology, and of economic, socio-cultural, political, technological and organizational conditioning factors. These factors are expressed in the way of life of individuals and social groups. Thus, the social determination of health is verified through the social-historical character and the bio-psychological aspect of individuals. In the light of that some concerns were raised: Is the occupational health nursing formation still guided by the biologicist hegemonic model? Does it handles contents on the health-disease social production process? We delineated as a general objective of the study: Analyze the formation of the occupational health nurse, with reference to the discussion of social determination of health. And as specific objectives: a) To characterize the academic profile and the political-pedagogical project (PPP) from presential lato sensu occupational health nursing courses in Rio de Janeiro; b) Analyze the formation of the occupational health nurse in the light of the discussion on the social determination of health; and c) Discuss the formation of the occupational health nurse and the influences of social context in shaping their curriculum and social practice. This constitutes a study of qualitative nature, non-experimental, cross-sectional and descriptive. It was conducted semi-structured interviews with coordinators (N = 03) and students (N = 15), from three post graduation courses in occupational health nursing, being two from public institutions and one from a private educational institution. It was applied the Bardin content analysis. It was also carried out an analysis of the courses PPP, since they delineate the objectives and/or mission of the course, the program and the curriculum. Most of the students interviewed and a coordinator had not heard about the social determination of health. All courses cover, directly or indirectly, contents related to this subject. From the Public Health perspective, in which the Occupational Health is inserted, the occupational health nurses formation should consider the life history and the form of participation of workers in society and their relations of social reproduction. However, it appears that the occupational health nursing teaching is still guided by positivist approach of health-disease process, establishing health indicators relations, disregarding the social-historical character of this process. Within a social perspective ordered by capitalist relations in which we live in, is undoubtedly difficult to think of another way to approach the teaching of the various health professions. However, it is necessary to rethink the formation and performance of health professionals, within an inter, multi and interdisciplinary perspective appointed by the Public Health field in order to broaden the view on the subject beyond the sight focused on the disease, considering the subjective aspects involved in social determination of health. So it is required changes in the ways of thinking curriculum and of conducting the teaching-learning process of these health professionals.

Justificativa: As Internações por Condições Sensíveis à Atenção Básica são um conjunto de problemas de saúde, para os quais o acesso aos serviços de AB e ações efetivas poderiam reduzir a ocorrência destas internações, tornando-as um indicador de resultado para avaliação da qualidade e do acesso nesse nível de atenção. Assim, analisou-se o indicador de ICSAB, buscando fatores associados à sua ocorrência, a fim de avaliar a sua capacidade de verificar a resolutividade da atenção básica. Métodos: Realizou-se uma análise exploratória descritiva do ICSAB nas sete macrorregiões de saúde e 30 regiões de saúde do Rio Grande do Sul, com base na Cobertura de Saúde da Família, seguida de uma revisão da produção indexada sobre ICSAB, com o objetivo de verificar quais fatores estão correlacionados com o desfecho ICSAB. Por fim desenvolveu-se um estudo ecológico com medidas agregadas, testando o grau de correlação linear entre as variáveis selecionadas a partir da revisão, utilizando o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman Resultados: Foram encontrados na literatura diversos fatores correlacionados à ocorrência de ICSAB, tanto no âmbito da disponibilidade de serviços de saúde, como na perspectiva socioeconômica. Em relação a realidade do RS, encontrou-se correlação de ICSAB com quantidade de leitos (p=0.002), Proporção de pessoas com planos de saúde (p=0,001), IDH (p=0.004) e analfabetismo (p=0.001) e população menor de quatro anos (p=0,001). Considerações: O indicador ICSAB cumpre seu objetivo de tornar comparável de forma sintética a situação da Atenção Básica nas diversas possibilidades de recortes territoriais. Contudo, as variáveis que interferem nesse desfecho são diversas, operando de maneiras diferentes em cada contexto e necessitando de maior aprofundamento. Enquanto subsídio para políticas e ações de qualificação da Atenção Básica, a mudança desse indicador só ocorrerá quando esse dado servir como dispositivo inicial para entender processos complexos e locais, que ocorrerão através de processos de educação permanente. / Background: Hospitalizations for Sensitive Conditions to Primary Health Care (HSCPHC) are a group of health problems, for which access to Primary Health Care services and effective actions could reduce the occurrence of these hospitalizations, making them an outcome indicator for quality and access to this level of attention. Thus, the HSCPHC indicator was analyzed, looking for factors associated with its occurrence, in order to evaluate its capacity to verify the resolution of basic care. Methods: A descriptive exploratory analysis of the HSCPHC was carried out in the seven macro-regions of health and 30 health regions of Rio Grande do Sul, based on the Family Health Coverage, followed by a review of the indexed production on HSCBC, with the objective of verify which factors are correlated with the HSCPHC outcome. Finally, an ecological study with aggregate measures was developed, testing the degree of linear correlation between the variables selected from the review using Spearman's correlation coefficient Results: A number of factors correlated with the occurrence of HSCPHC were found in the literature, both in terms of the availability of health services and in the socioeconomic perspective. In relation to Rio Grande do Sul reality, we found a correlation of HSCBC with number of hospital beds (p = 0.002), Proportion of people with health plans (p = 0.001), HDI (p = 0.004) and illiteracy (p = 0.001) and population younger than four years (p = 0.001). Considerations: The HSCPHC indicator fulfills its objective of making the situation of Primary Health Care in the various possibilities of territorial cuts comparable in a synthetic way. However, the variables that interfere in this outcome are diverse, operating differently in each context and requiring further study. As a subsidy for policies and actions to qualify Primary Health Care, the change in this indicator will only occur when this data serves as an initial device to understand complex and local processes that will occur through processes of permanent education.

Addressing complex global health challenges, including the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), will require change in sectors outside of traditional public health. Contemporary regional trade and investment agreements (RTAs) like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) continue to move further ‘behind-the-border’ into domestic policy space introducing new challenges in the regulation of health risk factors. This dissertation aimed to clarify the pathways through which RTAs influence NCDs, and to explore points along those pathways with the intent of improving the existing evidence base and supporting policy development. This work develops a critical theoretical framework exploring the ideas, institutions, and interests behind trade and investment policy; it also develops a conceptual framework specifying how trade and investment treaty provisions influence NCD rates through the effects of trade and investment on tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and beverage products, as well as access to medicines and the social determinants of health. Using health impact assessment methodology, three analytical components were designed to examine pathways of influence from RTAs to health outcomes as mediated by the interests of transnational corporations (TNCs). The first component explored the influence of industry during the TPP negotiations and how its health-related interests were reflected in the final TPP text. The second component examined the role of trade and investment liberalisation in health-harmful commodity markets, finding a rise in TNC sales after a period of liberalisation. The third component demonstrated how investor rights and investor-state dispute can challenge the state’s right to regulate if it damages the profits of TNCs, which may threaten effective health regulation, and provides opportunities to strengthen the right to regulate. The work in this dissertation provides support for the thesis that trade and investment policies are a fundamental structural determinant of health and well-being, which are highly influenced by TNCs that guide such policies in the interest of maximising their profits and protections, often to the detriment of public policy and population health. This work identifies the need for more robust health impact assessments of RTAs before future agreements are ratified, as well as an imperative to challenge vested interests that entrench neoliberal policy preferences that have hindered sustainable and equitable development.

This thesis addresses three interrelated challenges of disease mapping and contributes a new approach for improving visualization of disease burdens to enhance disease surveillance systems. First, it determines an appropriate threshold choice (smoothing parameter) for the adaptive kernel density estimation (KDE) in disease mapping. The results show that the appropriate threshold value depends on the characteristics of data, and bandwidth selector algorithms can be used to guide such decisions about mapping parameters. Similar approaches are recommended for map-makers who are faced with decisions about choosing threshold values for their own data. This can facilitate threshold selection. Second, the study evaluates the relative performance of the adaptive KDE and spatial empirical Bayes for disease mapping. The results reveal that while the estimated rates at the state level computed from both methods are identical, those at the zip code level are slightly different. These findings indicate that using either the adaptive KDE or spatial empirical Bayes method to map disease in urban areas may provide identical rate estimates, but caution is necessary when mapping diseases in non-urban (sparsely populated) areas. This study contributes insights on the relative performance in terms of accuracy of visual representation and associated limitations. Lastly, the study contributes a new approach for delimiting spatial units of disease risk using straightforward statistical and spatial methods and social determinants of health. The results show that the neighborhood risk map not only helps in geographically targeting where but also in tailoring interventions in those areas to those high risk populations. Moreover, when health data is limited, the neighborhood risk map alone is adequate for identifying where and which populations are at risk. These findings will benefit public health tasks of planning and targeting appropriate intervention even in areas with limited and poor-quality health data. This study not only fills the identified gaps of knowledge in disease mapping but also has a wide range of broader impacts. The findings of this study improve and enhance the use of the adaptive KDE method in health research, provide better awareness and understanding of disease mapping methods, and offer an alternative method to identify populations at risk in areas with limited health data. Overall, these findings will benefit public health practitioners and health researchers as well as enhance disease surveillance systems.

This thesis presents qualitative research conducted in summer 2017 at the Finger Lakes Free Clinic, which provides free medical and holistic care to people without insurance in upstate New York. The primary goal of this research was to strengthen the relationship between a free clinic and its donors by gathering donor concerns and perceptions regarding federal healthcare policy. Data from 32 interviews with donors, staff, board members, and volunteers, along with 100 hours of participant observation revealed that donors to this clinic were concerned about the potential impact of Congressional healthcare reform yet did not consider federal policy a strong influence on their donations. Rather, donors cited dedication to local giving and personal connections with the clinic as their primary motivations. These motivations suggest the value of viewing the clinic-donor relationship as a relationship of reciprocity. From this framework, the research identifies opportunities for the clinic to reciprocate donor generosity while expanding services in response to a growing need. Insights from the research will guide the clinic's response to federal policy changes and support the clinic's vision of becoming a national model for integrative care.

OBJETIVOS: Determinar la desigualdad de la prevalencia de desnutrición crónica infantil en función a algunos determinantes sociales en países de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC)  MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio ecológico con los indicadores de desarrollo de la base de datos del Banco Mundial. Se analizaron los indicadores de 19 países (acceso a electricidad y servicios básicos de agua en población rural, PBI per cápita, gasto en salud per cápita). La desigualdad absoluta y relativa se determinó mediante el Índice de Kuznets absoluto, y relativo, la gradiente de la desigualdad a través de índice de las gradientes de la desigualdad, y para la desigualdad proporcional se usó el (índice de concentración de salud) ICS y la curva de concentración. RESULTADOS: la brecha de las desigualdades en la prevalencia de desnutrición crónica infantil entre los países de ALC se mantuvo prácticamente sin cambios significativos a lo largo del periodo estudiado. El 20% de los países con mayor desventaja concentran el 40% de la prevalencia de desnutrición crónica mientras que el 20% de los países con mayor ventaja solo el 7-8%, medido a través del ICS. CONCLUSIONES: A pesar de que en los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio se encontraban eliminar la desnutrición, ésta permanece. La brecha de desigualdad ha disminuido respecto a la gradiente de desigualdad (desigualdad absoluta), sin embargo, la desigualdad proporcional se ha mantenido igual. Para eliminar esta brecha en ALC se deben generar políticas para distribuir de forma más eficiente y equitativa los recursos destinados al gasto en salud y los sectores relacionados, para de esa forma enfocarse en los determinantes sociales debidos. / OBJECTIVES: determinate the inequality of the prevalence of chronic childhood malnutrition according to some social stratifiers in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) METHODS: An ecological study was carried out at the country level with the development indicators of the World Bank database. The indicators of 19 countries will be analyzed (access to electricity and basic water services in rural areas, GDP per capita, health expenditure per capita). The absolute and relative inequality was determined by the absolute and relative Kuznets index, gradient of the inequality through the graduation index of the inequality, in addition, the proportional inequality was calculated through the index of concentration in health and the curve of concentration. RESULTS: the gap of inequalities in the prevalence of chronic child malnutrition in the LAC countries, remained practically without significant changes throughout the period studied. In addition, 20% of the countries with the greatest disadvantage accounted for 40% of the prevalence of chronic malnutrition compared to 20% of the countries with the greatest advantage, which presented 7-8% of the prevalence through the index of concentration on health. CONCLUSIONS: Although the Millennium Development Goals were to eliminate malnutrition, it was not possible to do so. However, the inequality gap has partially decreased. To eliminate it In LAC, wealth should be distributed more efficiently, and equitable resources allocated to health spending and related sectors. As well as generating Policies to address inequalities in and between countries. / Tesis

Background Acculturation has effects on mental health outcomes among young newly arrived migrants and refugees. Innovative methods, such as the Time Travel Method, can help understand cultural heritage, contribute to improved acculturation and subsequently lead to positive individual as well as societal outcomes.    Aim The aim was to explore the experiences, acceptability and use of the Time Travel Method, an educational method using applied cultural heritage education, among Finnish students and young migrants and refugees introduced to the method.  Methods Data was collected during 7 weeks of internship at the Ostrobothnian Children’s Cultural Network in Finland. Participant observations and letters written by participants during Time Travel events were coded and analysed using observational method and secondary analysis of qualitative data. Result The Time Travel Method was found to be appreciated by the participants by creating a safe space which allowed for cultural expressions, learning and social cohesion. A variance in narrative and perspective between Finnish and newly arrived students was observed. The Time Travel Method allowed for improved communication, reflection and expressions of feelings. The recognition of similarities between cultures was valuable to the participants. Conclusion The Time Travel Method functions as a bridge between cultures allowing for successful acculturation. Interprofessional joint actions on all societal levels are required. Further development and initiatives focusing on culture may increase awareness of the impact of cultural heritage.