"My Health, My Right:" There Is More to It than Meets the Eye.

The WHO's World Health Day 2024 slogan, "My health, my right," has been unpacked through the lens of an evolving social epidemiological understanding. The operative part of the theme merely reiterates international positions that have been established for a long and is unable to adequately incorporate advances in the understanding of the central role that structural determinants play in the production of ill-health. Given the urgency of addressing Sustainable Development Goal and Universal Health Coverage goals, the reduction of health inequities through the promotion of social justice is as much a governance imperative as moral.

Litigation in access to universal health coverage for children and adolescents in Brazil.

Background: Brazil's Unified Health System (SUS) ensures universal, equitable, and excellent quality health coverage for all. The broad right to health, supported by the Constitution, has led to excessive litigation in the public sector. This has negatively impacted the financial stability of SUS, created inequality in children and adolescents' access to healthcare, and affected communication between the healthcare system and the judiciary. The enactment of Law Number 13.655 on 25 April 2018, proposed significant changes in judicial decisions. This study aimed to investigate decision-making changes in health litigation involving children and adolescents following the implementation of the new normative model. Methods: The study is cross-sectional, analyzing 3753 national judgment documents from all State Courts of Brazil, available on their respective websites from 2014 to 2020. It compares regional legal decisions before and after the promulgation of Law Number 13.655/2018. Data tabulation, statistical analysis, textual analysis, coding, and counting of significant units in the collected documents were performed. The results of data cross-referencing are presented in tables and diagrams. Results: The majority (96.86%) of legal claims (3635 cases) received partial or total provision of what was prescribed by the physician. The Judiciary predominantly handled these cases individually. The analysis indicates that the decisions made did not adhere to the norms established in 2018. Conclusion: Regional heterogeneity in health litigation was observed, and there was no significant variability in decisions during the studied period, even after the implementation of the new normative paradigm in 2018. Technical-scientific support was undervalued by the magistrates. Prioritizing litigants undermines equity in access to Universal Health Coverage for children and adolescents.

Can a human right to good mental health be justified?

Can a human right to good mental health be justified? This is an under-explored question: until recently, rights in relation to mental health have been framed and debated primarily in terms of their relevance to psychosocial disability and mental ill-health/mental distress. By contrast, in this article, I propose the basis of a normative justification for a population-wide right to good mental health, focusing in particular on individuals who do not experience mental ill-health/distress or do not have (or may never have) a psychiatric diagnosis or a psychosocial disability. The article is structured into three parts. First, I will outline the emergence of a population-wide right to good mental health in mental health discourse, led by recent reports published by the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Danius Puras. I will then go on to explore what we might understand by 'good mental health'. Finally, I will explain how a right to good mental health may be justified, drawing on insights from compassion, 'vulnerable agency', and James Wilson's account of 'a right to public health'. I then respond to feasibility and demandingness concerns about such a right, which together inform the basis of the qualified public health right to good mental health I propose.

[National health systems, legislation, and social determinants: a comparative study of Brazil, Spain, Portugal, and Italy]. / Sistemas nacionais de saúde, legislação e seus determinantes sociais: um estudo comparativo entre Brasil, Espanha, Portugal e Itália.

This is a documentary, exploratory, descriptive study, which is part of a multicenter international study assessing the national health systems with a care model based on primary health care of Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Portugal, funded by the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq, acronym in Portuguese). It aims to identify the basic health legislation, the right to health, and the doctrinal and organizational principles of each country with a focus on the impact of social determinants of health on the national health systems. The results showed these countries have similar legislation and doctrinal principles, with a constitutional right to health, based on primary health care, and with a care model of the family health type. The challenges identified were low birth rate and high life expectancy at birth in European countries and criteria for access to medication and care financing. Based on our findings, the countries with higher investment in a structural basis, ensuring more dignified, solid, and vigilant socioeconomic and sanitary conditions, provide an important differentiation in responsiveness and sustainability of the national health system and direct impact on the quality of life.

Trata-se de uma pesquisa documental, exploratória, descritiva, partindo de um estudo multicêntrico e internacional entre Brasil, Espanha, Itália e Portugal sobre sistemas nacionais de saúde com modelo de atenção baseado na atenção primária à saúde e financiado pelo Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) do Brasil. Tem como objetivo identificar as legislações de base da saúde, o direito à saúde e os princípios doutrinários e organizativos de cada país selecionado com ênfase no impacto dos determinantes sociais de saúde sobre os sistemas nacionais de saúde. Os resultados revelaram países com legislações e princípios doutrinários semelhantes, com direito à saúde constitucional, ancorados na atenção primária à saúde, e com modelo assistencial de acesso do tipo saúde da família. Os desafios encontrados foram a baixa natalidade e elevada expectativa de vida ao nascer em países europeus e critérios para acesso a medicamentos e financiamento assistencial. Com base nos nossos achados, os países que tiveram maior investimento em base estrutural, perpassando por assegurar condições socioeconômicas e sanitárias mais dignas, sólidas e vigilantes, garantiram importante diferenciação na capacidade de resposta e sustentabilidade do sistema nacional de saúde e no impacto direto na qualidade de vida das pessoas.

Se trata de una investigación documental, exploratoria, descriptiva, parte de un estudio multicéntrico, internacional entre Brasil, España, Italia y Portugal sobre los Sistemas Nacionales de Salud con un modelo de atención basado en la atención primaria de salud y financiado por el Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (CNPq) de Brasil. Tiene como objetivo identificar la legislación de base de la salud, el derecho a la salud y los principios doctrinales y organizativos de cada país seleccionado con énfasis en el impacto de los determinantes sociales de la salud sobre los sistemas nacionales de salud. Los resultados revelaron países con legislaciones y principios doctrinales similares, con derecho a salud constitucional, anclados en la atención primaria de salud y con un modelo asistencial de acceso del tipo salud de la familia. Los desafíos encontrados fueron la baja tasa de natalidad y la alta esperanza de vida al nacer en países europeos y criterios para el acceso a medicamentos y financiación asistencial. Con base en nuestros hallazgos, los países que tuvieron mayor inversión en base estructural, asegurando condiciones socioeconómicas y sanitarias más dignas, sólidas y vigilantes, garantizan una diferenciación importante en la capacidad de respuesta y sostenibilidad del sistema nacional de salud y en el impacto directo en la calidad de vida de las personas.

Aportes para el abordaje de la salud de las y los adolescentes como sujeto de derechos desde una mirada antropológica / Contributions to address the health of adolescents as rights holders from an anthropological perspective

Este artículo se propone reflexionar en torno al reconocimiento de la condición jurídica de las y los adolescentes como sujeto de derechos en los procesos de atención de la salud de esta población. A partir de la autonomía progresiva y la participación directa entendidos como dos principios rectores de la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño (CDN), se realiza un contrapunto entre las definiciones presentes en la política de salud en la adolescencia y las prácticas y sentidos puestos en juego por las/os profesionales de la salud. Las reflexiones se basan en el análisis de materiales etnográficos, producidos en una investigación realizada en la ciudad de Bahía Blanca, desde una perspectiva antropológica, centrada en la definición social de las edades. Para cerrar, se plantea una síntesis de algunos aspectos con el propósito de contribuir a la problematización de las nociones de adolescencia desde las cuales se brinda atención sanitaria de esta población. Y de favorecer el abordaje de la salud de las y los adolescentes como sujeto de derechos (AU)

This article aims to reflect on the recognition of the legal status of adolescents as subject of rights in the health care processes of this population. Starting from progressive autonomy and direct participation understood as two guiding principles of the Children's Rights Convention (CRC), a counterpoint is made between the definitions present in health policy in adolescence and the practices and meanings put into play by the health professionals. The reflections are based on the analysis of ethnographic materials, produced in an investigation carried out in the city of Bahía Blanca, from an anthropological perspective, focused on the social definition of ages. To close, a synthesis of some aspects is proposed with the purpose of contributing to the problematization of the notions of adolescence from which health care is provided to this population. And to promote the approach to adolescent health as a subject of rights (AU)

Laboratório de Inovação em Educação Alimentar e Nutricional: Uma Celebração dos 10 anos do Marco de Referência de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional para as Políticas Públicas

A Educação Alimentar e Nutricional (EAN) integrada à estratégias mais amplas de proteção e promoção da alimentação adequada e saudável contribui para melhorar a qualidade de vida das pessoas e do planeta, sendo essencial principalmente no cenário complexo em que 33 milhões de brasileiros estão em situação de fome, com maior impacto nos grupos e regiões mais vulneráveis, e 61,7% estão com sobrepeso ou obesidade. O Laboratório de Inovação em Educação Alimentar e Nutricional (LIS-EAN) celebra os 10 anos do Marco de Referência de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional para as Políticas Públicas (MREAN), que posicionou a EAN de forma intersetorial no Brasil e estabeleceu um campo comum de reflexão e prática. A EAN também é transversal às diretrizes da Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição (PNAN), sendo reco nhecida como essencial para a promoção da alimentação adequada e saudável tanto no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) como nos demais setores. Neste sentido, o LIS-EAN é inovador desde a sua essência, já que proporcionou a identificação de experiências de diversos setores além do setor saúde, como educação e assistência social. Celebrar os 10 anos do Marco com a realização do LIS-EAN é uma oportunidade para refletir sobre as potencialidades e desafios da agenda para os próximos anos. Os desafios são complexos e, a EAN é um elemento fundamental para a garantia do direito à saúde e do direito humano à alimentação adequada. Espera-se que as experiências sistematizadas no LIS-EAN inspirem, contribuam e apoiem o desenvolvimento e aprimoramento das ações de EAN para a garantia do direito à saúde e do direito humano à alimentação adequada, sem deixar ninguém para trás.

[The right to health goes through the right to a home.] / Il diritto alla salute passa per il diritto a una casa.

Unhealthy housing is bad for your health. This was recently pointed out by the report Left out in the cold: the hidden health costs of Britain's cold homes by the UCL Institute of Health Equity and a The Lancet editorial. Those who suffer most are the poorest and most disadvantaged households due to determinants of gender, ethnicity or disability. Although the World health organisation guidelines on housing and health promote adequate housing as a key factor to improve health, many governments are slow to act. Supporting policies that restore the right to housing - and to a safe home - should be a priority for governments. Not least because it would be an investment: improving housing conditions reduces inappropriate access to emergency departments and hospital admissions. Health workers can play a key role as privileged observers of the individuals and families who would benefit most from public institutional support.

Paths and inter-mediations between Brazilian Health Services and Youth Detention Centers. / Caminhos e intermediações entre serviços do Sistema de Saúde e da Socioeducação.

Socio-education is an educational and (re)socialization proposal for young people having troubles with the law, a law which also includes the right to health care guaranteed by the Unified Health System (SUS). This study aims to investigate the relationship between health services and socio-educational units in Paraná state, from the perspective of service workers and managers. The qualitative and exploratory research consisted of sixteen semi-structured interviews in five municipalities in the state, with subsequent categorization of the narratives based on hermeneutic analysis. As a result, there was considerable weakness in the coordination between the network's facilities to promote overall health care, specifically the mental health of young people. Security issues have a strong influence on the regulation of actions, even health actions, in socio-education. The current policy of comprehensive health care in socio-education, implemented in Brazil in 2014, is, however, an important counterpoint for the reordering and nudging policies in this area.

A socioeducação é proposta educacional e de (re)socialização do jovem em conflito com a lei, na qual se prevê, igualmente, o direito à atenção à saúde garantido pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). O presente trabalho visa investigar como se dá a relação entre os serviços de saúde e as unidades socioeducativas no estado do Paraná a partir da perspectiva de trabalhadores e gestores dos serviços. A pesquisa qualitativa e de cunho exploratório consistiu na realização de dezesseis entrevistas semiestruturadas em cinco municípios do estado, com posterior categorização das narrativas a partir de análise hermenêutica. Como resultado evidenciou-se considerável fragilidade na articulação entre os equipamentos da rede para promoção da assistência à saúde em geral e, mais notoriamente, à saúde mental dos jovens. Os quesitos de segurança exercem forte influência na regulação das ações, até mesmo de saúde, na socioeducação. A política atual de atenção integral à saúde na socioeducação, implantada no Brasil em 2014, representa, contudo, um importante contraponto na reordenação e na indução das ações nesse âmbito.

The intertwining of discourses in the diagnostic construction of cystic fibrosis: a perspective on access and barriers. / A tessitura dos discursos na construção diagnóstica da fibrose cística: uma perspectiva sobre acesso e barreiras.

The complexities referred to in the search for "accuracy" in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) point to reflections around "what is needed" in the current situation of "precision medicine". We analyzed the discourses of 19 social actors belonging to the community of specialists in cystic fibrosis, exploring the semantic meanings of the word "precision", and the barriers to diagnosis and innovations in therapeutics. We adopted the critical discourse analysis (CDA) of Norman Fairclough in order to achieve the discursive constructions around the integrality of care, the guarantee and equitable supply of basic social needs. Access was identified as an emic category when in the social arenas of dispute are health needs and the right to life.

As complexidades referidas na busca pela "exatidão" no diagnóstico da fibrose cística (FC) apontam para reflexões em torno de "o que é preciso" na atual conjuntura da "medicina de precisão". Analisamos os discursos de 19 atores sociais pertencentes à comunidade de especialistas na fibrose cística, explorando as acepções semânticas do vocábulo "precisão" e as barreiras ao diagnóstico e às inovações na terapêutica. Adotamos a análise crítica do discurso de Norman Fairclough a fim de alcançar as construções discursivas em torno da integralidade do cuidado, da garantia e oferta equitativa dos básicos sociais. O acesso foi identificado como categoria êmica quando nas arenas sociais de disputa estão as necessidades de saúde e o direito à vida.

Facilitating Safe Access to Health Care through Legislative Reform - The Australian Experience.

The realisation of the right to health is vulnerable to the interventions of strangers, acting on the belief that certain health care should not be permissible under the law or accessible in practice. In Australia, the key arena for such interventions has been abortion services. Drawing on empirical research undertaken by the authors, this article examines the impact of these interventions and the effectiveness of "safe access zone" laws that now operate nationwide to constrain them. After examining the unsuccessful constitutional challenge to these laws in the High Court of Australia, it considers whether safe access zones may have utility in other health care contexts.

Enforcing the right to health in private health systems through Judicialization what can we learn from the scoping review of the cross-national perspective?

BACKGROUND: Private sector acting in healthcare does not remove the public nature of a health system, nor mitigate the right to health as a human right. METHODS: This scoping review aims to answer the question: what factors influence the pattern of lawsuits seeking to enforce the right to health in private healthcare systems? The search was carried out in Pubmed, SciELO, DOAJ and Scopus. RESULTS: Out of 464 articles found, after inclusion and exclusion criteria, 30 articles were included. The survey covered 36 different countries and four main factors were identified. The socioeconomic context, the health system model, the incorporation of the right to health in legislation, and the model of regulation of private health. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding these patterns help understanding the difficulties of implementing and guaranteeing universal health. Health systems must be based on responsibility, solidarity, equity, and distributive justice, since the sum of these values generates mutualism. Judicial decision-making regarding to health access must be reasoned on equity and distributive justice, scientific evidence and ethical factors. Even private health systems must be funded in a well-defined ethical platform and social moral valuation.

A Right to Health-Based Approach to Dental Caries: Toward a Comprehensive Control Strategy.

BACKGROUND: Health is a matter of human rights, and dental caries is the most common noncommunicable disease globally. Consequently, dental caries is a matter of human rights and its control, particularly prevention, must be a priority. Although largely preventable, this is too often neglected, both in the literature of human rights and health law, and in dental research. The right to oral health has recently been acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO), but it is insufficiently clear what this right entails. SUMMARY: This article introduces a right to health-based narrative in the context of dental caries. The right to health is stipulated in human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). States that are parties to these treaties, which are virtually all States globally, are mandated to ensure the enjoyment of individuals' right to the highest attainable standard of health, including oral health. KEY MESSAGES: Dental caries is a matter of human rights. States have binding obligations to address dental caries: they require the regulation of the healthcare system, i.e., the traditional focus on operative care, but also put the regulation of other risk factors on an equal footing, such as the regulation of the living environment and access to fluoride. A right to health-based approach to dental caries thus offers a comprehensive approach to dental caries control, particularly prevention.

An analysis of Nepal's Draft Mental Health Acts 2006-2017: competing values and power.

This qualitative study maps the process of drafting and consulting on Nepal's mental health legislation from 2006 to 2017. A total of 14 people were interviewed and interviews were analysed thematically. These themes were subsequently interpreted in light of Shiffman and Smith's policy analysis framework, as the process was found to be at the agenda-setting stage. Two groups of actors were identified with different views on appropriate policy content and how the policy process should be conducted. The first group included psychiatrists who initiated and controlled the drafting process and who did not consider people with psychosocial disabilities to be equal partners. The psychiatrists viewed forced detention and treatment as upholding people's right to health and lobbied the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) to pass the draft acts to parliament. The second included the rights-based civil society actors and lawyers who saw the right to equality before the law as of utmost priority, opposed forced detention and treatment, and actively blocked the draft acts at the MoHP. There is no clear legal definition of mental health and illness in Nepal, legal and mental capacity are not differentiated, and people with mental and behavioural conditions are assumed to lack capacity. The analysis indicates that there were few favourable conditions to support the progression of this policy into law. It is unclear whether the drafters or blockers will prevail in the future, but we predict that professionals will continue to have more input into content than service users due to national policy dynamics.