Art under the Microscope.

In March 2018, Greece issued five commemorative stamps that show a beautiful mélange of art and science. Images are, however, genuine views captured through light microscopy of stained human tissue during histopathological examination. Many will remember having drawn such diagrams in their histology and pathology journals during their medical school years. The microscopic images are photographed beautifully by Dr Maria Lambropaulou. She is an Associate Professor of Histology-embryology at the Medical Department of the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.

Understanding Breast Cancer Images in Art History as a Form of Health Communication.

Can art and visual images meant for public consumption (museums, galleries, social media platforms) serve as a critical form of health communication for breast cancer patients? For their clinicians? For the population at large? Art history research methods are applied to a range of breast cancer images in western art in order to understand what the images communicate to us about patient experience, agency, and inequity in health care at the time of their construction. The following is a selective look at western art as it reflects and informs our understanding of breast cancer over time.

El corporativismo médico en el cine / Medical corporatism in cinema

Realizamos una búsqueda sistemática de películas utilizando los términos corporativismo y medicina en sitios web especializados sin importar la duración, nacionalidad, género o año de producción. Excluimos las películas animadas y series de television. Tras visionar 24 películas, seleccionamos seis de ellas buscando que fueran films de calidad, que no fueran muy conocidos y que el corporativismo formara parte importante del guion. En todos ellos y en diferentes formatos (comedia, drama, …) el corporativismo se presenta como una forma de corrupción en la que pueden caer los médicos, teniendo estos que anteponer siempre la salud del paciente y no sus intereses y prebendas. El análisis y comentario de todas estas películas puede ser de gran utilidad para la enseñanza de las ciencias de la salud, ayudando a evitar situaciones indeseables que tengan como responsable al corporativismo.(AU)

We carry out a systematic search for films on specialized websites regardless of duration, nationality, genre or year of production. The exclusion criteria were: animated films and television series. After viewing 24 films, we selected six of them looking for quality films, not very well-known and for corporatism to form an important part of the script. In all of them and in different formats (comedy, drama, …) corporatism is presented as a form of corruption that doctors can fall into, having to always put the patient's health first and not his interests and perks. The analysis and commentary of all these films can be very useful for the teaching of health sciences, helping to avoid undesirable situations that have corporatism as responsible.(AU)

Sintonía sin hogar. Historia de un solista solitario / Homeless tune. Story of a lonely soloist

El sinhogarismo supone un problema sociosanitario emergente relacionado principalmente con el desarrollo de patologías mentales y con diversas adicciones. La película El solista, dirigida por Joe Wright, representa un instrumento de gran utilidad para entender esta cuestión dado que revela el caso real de un músico que padece esquizofrenia y que vive en la calle, el señor Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Junior. Al mismo tiempo, la película permite analizar las circunstancias que le llevaron a esa situación y los factores que influyen en el proceso de inclusión social. Por lo tanto, se defiende el empleo de esta película como recurso pedagógico para la formación de estudiantes y profesionales.(AU)

Homelessness is an emerging socio-sanitary problem principally related to the development of mental pathologies and various addictions. The film The Soloist, directed by Joe Wright, represents a very useful resource to understand this issue since it reveals the real case of a musician who suffers from schizophrenia and who is homeless, Mr. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Junior. At the same time, the film allows to analyze the circumstances that led him to this situation and the factors involved in the social inclusion process. Hence, the use of this film as a pedagogical resource for the training of students and professionals is defended.(AU)

The Pellagra Portraits.

This Arts and Medicine feature reviews the history of pellagra and recounts the role of artist and illustrator John Carroll who, in 1919, painted portraits of people with the vitamin deficiency to document in color the appearance of pellagra skin plaques.

As Much As I Can - Utilizing Immersive Theatre to Reduce HIV-Related Stigma and Discrimination Toward Black Sexual Minority Men.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in biomedical HIV prevention modalities such as pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent the transmission of HIV, racial/ethnic and sexual/gender minority populations are disproportionately impacted by HIV epidemic. Alarming rates of HIV have persisted among Black gay and bisexual men, particularly in Southern states. METHODS: Utilizing data from the ViiV ACCELERATE! initiative, we explored the impact of As Much As I Can, an immersive theatre production, on HIV-related stigma behaviors. A self-administered post-performance survey was conducted with a cohort (n = 322) of randomly selected audience members. RESULTS: Overall, the results showed participants had a highly favorable experience, rating the performance with a mean score of 9.77/10. Respondents indicated they intended to change behaviors to promote HIV prevention education and to reduce stigma and discrimination including: (1) Say something if I hear stigmatizing language against people living with HIV (75.4%), (2) Say something if I hear anti-gay language (69.7%) and (3) Tell others about HIV prevention options (e.g., PrEP, PEP, condoms (64.1%). The findings show there is an association between HIV-related behavior intention and linkage to HIV care. Respondents who reported they were more likely to say something about HIV stigma were almost three times (O.R. 2.77; 95% C.I. 0.98-7.8) more likely to indicate they would follow up with a healthcare professional. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that immersive theatre is an effective method for communicating HIV prevention education and reducing HIV-related structural stigma and discrimination that increases HIV vulnerability for Black sexual minority men.

Best of Graphic Medicine-The 2023 Graphic Medicine International Collective Awards.

This Arts and Medicine feature reviews 4 health-related graphic medicine (comic) projects judged as the best of 2022 by the Graphic Medicine International Collective.

Saúde Integral: Tai Chi Pai Lin

O Tai Chi Pai Lin é uma arte milenar que ajuda no equilíbrio do corpo e da mente. Confira na reportagem as vantagens da prática contadas por quem já viu a melhora no próprio corpo. As aulas acontecem na Universidade de Medicina Tradicional da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de São Paulo, na Rua Frederico Alvarenga, 259.