DOCSLIB.ORG

Cancer Mortality in Cuba

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Cancer Mortality in Cuba through July-December 1986, data from the Drug Abuse Warn- 8. National Institute on Drug Abuse: Semiannual report, trend data ing Network (DAWN). Statistical series G, No. 19. DHHS Pub- through December 1989, data from the Drug Abuse Warning lication No. (ADM) 87-1529. U.S. Government Printing Network (DAWN). Statistical series G, No. 24. DHHS Publica- Office, Washington, DC, 1987. tion No. (ADM) 90-1664. U.S. Government Printing Office, 7. National Institute on Drug Abuse: Semiannual report, trend data Washington, DC, 1990. through January-June 1988, data from the Drug Abuse Warning 9. National Institute on Drug Abuse: Annual data 1989, data from Network (DAWN). Statistical series G, No. 22. DHHS Publica- the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). Statistical series I, tion No. (ADM) 89-1607. U.S. Government Printing Office, No. 9. DHHS Publication (ADM) 90-1717. U.S. Government Washington, DC, 1989. Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1990. Cancer Mortality in Cuba and Among the Cuban-Born in Cuba, cancer of the lung and cancer of the prostate, in the United States: 1979-81 because of their relatively high death rates. The age- adjusted death ratesfor both of these cancers are lower among the Cuban-born in the United States than they DONNA SHAI, PhD are among Cubans in Cuba and whites in the United States. Death rates for cancer of the cervix and cancer Dr. Shai is Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociol- of the rectum among the Cuban-born in this country are ogy, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085. This research was supported by Grant No. HD20089, National also low relative to Cubans in Cuba and whites in the Institute of Child Health and Human Development. United States. Stomach cancer mortality among Cuban- Tearsheet requests to Dr. Shai. born men in the United States is lower than for men in Cuba orfor white men in the United States, but Cuban- Synopsis ..................................... born women in this country have rates that are slightly higher than those of U.S. white women. Mortality rates The Cuban-born population of the United States, from colon cancer in both sexes and breast cancer enumerated at 608,000 in the 1980 census, has been among women are intermediate between the lower rates little studied with regard to cancer mortality. Being in Cuba and the higher rates among U.S. whites. older and rarely migrating back to Cuba, Cuban Amer- Finally, the Cuban-born in the United States have icans present a good subject for comparative cancer higher death rates from cancer of the liver than do mortality. Age-adjusted death rates for selected causes Cubans in Cuba or whites in the United States. of cancer are compared in this paper for Cubans in Cuba, the Cuban-born in the United States, and all In general, the profile foundfor the Cuban-born in whites in the United States. the United States reflects the high socioeconomic status of the pre-1980 migrants as well as their exposure to Two forms of cancer have been ofparticular concern the U.S. environment. CUBAN IMMIGRANTS to the United States constitute immigrants are not a representative cross-section of the an interesting group for the study of health and migra- Cuban population and, until recently, have been dispro- tion. They are older and include enough people of the portionately affluent, urban, older, and well-educated, ages at which cancer becomes a major cause of mor- with white collar occupations. All of these characteris- tality. In the 1980 census (as of April 1), they num- tics are known to be associated with certain forms of bered 608,000 (1). Also, because of the political nature cancer. In addition, epidemiologists have pointed out of the migration, there has been relatively little reverse that persons who choose to migrate are a selective pop- migration. For cancer research it is especially important ulation of the healthy (3). Therefore, on the average, that immigrants experience a long and relatively unin- we might expect that those who left Cuba tended to be terrupted period in a new society, since many cancers in relatively good health, at least prior to 1980. develop over decades following exposure. When mor- Before the 1959 Cuban revolution, mortality in Cuba tality is the end-point, the period is even longer (2). was typical of developing countries, with a low life On the other hand, there are limitations regarding the expectancy at birth, 58 years in 1959 (4), and with rela- comparative study of cancers among Cubans on the tively high rates of infectious and parasitic diseases (5). island and the Cuban-bom in the United States. Cuban By 1989, Cuban life expectancy had reached 74 years, 68 PubUc Halth Reports compared with 75 in the United States (6). This Table 1. Age-adjusted death rates' per 100,000 population from selected causes of cancer in Cuba and in the United States by increase was due largely to the establishment of medical sex, 1969-72 and 1981-83 schools and to public health measures taken to provide the entire population with primary health care (4). As a 21969-72 31981-83 result, the major causes of death are now cardiovascular Cause Cuba U.S. Cuba U.S. diseases and cancers, typical of countries at a high level of social and economic development. Men: The most important form of cancer among men in Lung (trachea and bronchus).. 24.3 6.9 21.6 31.6 Stomach .................... 7.9 4.5 4.9 3.2 Cuba is cancer of the lung. Statistics published by the Women: Pan American Health Organization at the beginning of Lung (trachea and bronchus).. 8.7 5.8 8.1 11.5 the 1970s show that the age-adjusted death rate for lung Breast ...................... 9.1 13.8 8.9 13.5 a Stomach .................... 3.8 2.2 2.5 1.6 cancer (standardized to Latin American 1960 popula- Cervix uter .................. 3.4 3.4 3.2 1.9 tion) for Cuban males was the fourth highest in the Americas, although lower than the U.S. rate (7). Cuban 'Age-adjusted to a 1960 Latin American population. 2Reference 7. women had the highest death rate from lung cancer in 3Reference 8. the Americas. By the early 1980s, the rate for men was the fifth highest, while the rate for women was the sec- in United States and in other registries (21). Cuban ond highest after the United States (8 and table 1). rates are of interest since Cuba is one of the countries The causes of the relatively high mortality rates from that has used radiation therapy for benign conditions of lung cancer in Cuba have been attributed to the the head and neck. Use of radiation therapy in child- extremely high per capita cigarette consumption, one of hood conditions is believed to be linked to the incidence the highest in the world (4). In a study of the incidence of thyroid cancer in young adult females (21). of lung cancer in Havana, Joly and coworkers found Other studies of cancer incidence in Cuba involve that an additional factor was the use of dark tobacco relatively uncommon cancers, such as three cases of and nonfilter cigarettes (9). Since 1983 there has been bladder cancer in Cubans that were uncovered by endo- an intensification in Cuba of the public health campaign scopic study for schistosomiasis (22), cancer of the oral against smoking to reduce lung cancer (4). cavity (23), nasopharyngeal cancer (24, 25), gastric Prostate cancer is a serious health problem in Cuba cancer (26), Burkitt's lymphoma (27), and a number of and was the second leading cause of cancer death after studies of malignant tumors in children (28, 29). lung cancer among men in Cuba during the 1970s (10) Very little has been published on cancer among the and early 1980s (8). While the death rates from prostate Cuban-born in the United States. To my knowledge, cancer for Cuban males are intermediate for the Amer- only three publications deal with cancer in this popula- icas as are those of the United States, Cuban rates tion. Rosenwaike (30) discussed mortality among the exceed those of U.S. males (8). Attempts to reduce Cuban-born, including cancer mortality, in comparison mortality by irradiation are ongoing in Cuba (10). with other Hispanic subgroups in the United States, the The breast was the most important site of cancer Mexican born and Puerto Rican born. Although all among women in Cuba as it was among women in the three subpopulations have cancer death rates lower than United States in 1979-81 (11). By 1985 breast cancer that of United States whites and blacks, the Cuban born was surpassed by lung cancer among women (12). had the highest death rate among Hispanic subgroups Compared with the United States, breast cancer death for all cancers. The same pattern held for lung cancer rates in Cuba are relatively low as they are in many among Cuban-born men and for breast cancer among. Latin American countries. In the early 1970s, Cuba women. The exception to the profile was lung cancer ranked eighth of 22 countries in the Americas for breast among Cuban-born women which was lower than cancer, while the United States ranked third (7). By the among Mexican-born women, as well as whites and early 1980s, Cuba ranked 11th while the United States blacks in this country (30). ranked 6th (8). With respect to breast cancer incidence Rosenwaike and Shai (31) examined cancer mortality worldwide, Cuba ranked intermediate among nations among the Cuban-born in the United States before and studied in 1970, while women in Connecticut ranked after the Mariel migration of 1980.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Science and Technological Innovation in Health in Cuba: Results in Selected Problems*
    Pan American Journal Special report of Public Health Science and technological innovation in health in Cuba: results in selected problems* Nereida Rojo Pérez,1 Carmen Valenti Pérez,1 Nelcy Martínez Trujillo,1 Ileana Morales Suárez,2 Eric Martínez Torres,3 Ileana Fleitas Estévez,4 Miriam Portuondo Sao,2 Yisel Torres Rojo2 and V. Gustavo Sierra González5 Suggested citation (original manuscript) Rojo Pérez N, Valenti Pérez C, Martínez Trujillo N, Morales Suárez I, Martínez Torres E, Fleitas Estévez I, et al. Ciencia e innovación tecnológica en la salud en Cuba: resultados en problemas seleccionados. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2018;42:e32. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2018.32 ABSTRACT In Cuba, health research is based on the priorities of national scientific policy, derived from the health status of the population. The objective of this article is to describe the characteristics of the Science and Technological Innovation System and how the results of its research benefit the health of population groups. To this end, research related to the generation of products and technologies, diabetes, dengue and disability was selected. This system follows a methodology outlined by the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, and has 37 research entities. It is organized into pro grams and projects that support basic and applied research using a multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach; these programs and projects are funded mostly by the State and are organized as a closed-loop system, i.e., the same entity is responsible for the entire process, from research to marketing, including market studies and post-marketing monitoring. The selected research projects demonstrate the alignment between research, gener- alization of results, and their effect in improving the population’s health and universal access to health care.
    [Show full text]
  • Women's Healthcare in Cuba
    Student Works June 2018 Women’s Healthcare in Cuba Hannah M. Van Curen Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.erau.edu/student-works Part of the Maternal and Child Health Commons, and the Women's Health Commons Scholarly Commons Citation Van Curen, H. M. (2018). Women’s Healthcare in Cuba. , (). Retrieved from https://commons.erau.edu/ student-works/70 This Undergraduate Research is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Works by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Women’s Healthcare in Cuba Hannah M. Van Curen Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE IN CUBA 1 Abstract Cuba’s healthcare system has been an important discussion since it became socialized in 1965. The seemingly prestigious and highly criticized system has had global impact: from the break of tradition from conservative Latin American countries, to the almost idyllic approach Cuba has taken proving socialism can exist. This paper explores the major differences between Cuba’s and America’s approach to women’s healthcare. This paper examines different aspects of women's health care through interviews of locals and observation of different clinics around the island. The topics include maternity leave, child care, abortions, and sex education. While there is varying discussion on how well the the system works, it is clear that the structure of their system is ideal, however, the government does not have the means to make it work.
    [Show full text]
  • Cuba Myths and Facts
    Myths And Facts About The U.S. Embargo On Medicine And Medical Supplies A report prepared by Oxfam America and the Washington Office on Latin America BASIC FACTS: The Cuban health care system functioned effectively up through the 1980s. Life expectancy increased, infant mortality declined, and access to medical care expanded. Cuba began to resemble the developed nations in health care figures. While the U.S. embargo prevented Cuba from buying medicines and medical supplies directly from the United States, many U.S. products were available from foreign subsidiaries. Cuba may have paid higher prices, and heavier shipping costs, but it was able to do so. The Cuban health care system has been weakened in the last seven years, as the end of Soviet bloc aid and preferential trade terms damaged the economy overall. The economy contracted some 40%, and there was simply less money to spend on a health care system, or on anything else. And because the weakened Cuban economy generated less income from foreign exports, there was less hard currency available to import foreign goods. This made it more difficult to purchase those medicines and medical equipment that had traditionally come from abroad, and contributed to shortages in the Cuban health care system. In the context of the weakened Cuban economy, the U.S. embargo exacerbated the problems in the health care system. The embargo forced Cuba to use more of its now much more limited resources on medical imports, both because equipment and drugs from foreign subsidiaries of U.S. firms or from non-U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cuban Experience: Comparative of Health Systems and Infant Mortality Rates
    The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Master's Projects and Capstones Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects Summer 8-16-2017 The ubC an Experience: Comparative of Health Systems and Infant Mortality Rates Evangeline Anne Vargas [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone Recommended Citation Vargas, Evangeline Anne, "The ubC an Experience: Comparative of Health Systems and Infant Mortality Rates" (2017). Master's Projects and Capstones. 629. https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/629 This Project/Capstone is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Projects and Capstones by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Vargas, E. The Cuban Experience: Comparative of Health Systems and Infant Mortality Rates Evangeline Vargas MPH Candidate 2017 University of San Francisco 1 Vargas, E. Abstract Although the United States is a developed country that spends billions of dollars for its healthcare sector, there are still many risk factors that highly influence our country’s respectively high infant mortality rates. Infant mortality rates are affected by a range of social determinants of health, low birth weight, and racial disparities. This paper addresses the United States’ and Cuban models of healthcare through a comparative lens to investigate the potential use of Cuba’s maternal and infant health practices to mirror similar preventative strategies that promote infant health.
    [Show full text]
  • Cuba's Healthcare Mandate
    University of Chicago Law School Chicago Unbound International Immersion Program Papers Student Papers 2015 Cuba’s Healthcare Mandate: a Vision for the Future or Relic of a Socialist Past? Val Washington Follow this and additional works at: http://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/ international_immersion_program_papers Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Val Washington, "Cuba’s Healthcare Mandate: A Vision for the Future or Relic of a Socialist Past?," Law School International Immersion Program Papers, No. 16 (2015). This Working Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Papers at Chicago Unbound. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Immersion Program Papers by an authorized administrator of Chicago Unbound. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Cuba’s Healthcare Mandate: A Vision for the Future or Relic of a Socialist Past? Val Washington Abstract Castro’s Socialist Revolution in Cuba brought about changes in the Cuban healthcare system that previously had been a bastion for the wealthy and elite. Elite healthcare was top notch, while the underclass suffered from poor medical care, resulting in an infant mortality rate of 60 per 1000, a general mortality rate of 6.4 per 1000, and life expectancy of 65.1 years.1 With the revolution came a guarantee of healthcare for all Cuban citizens, which was subsequently codified into the constitution of 1972. Cuba has since maintained the reputation of having one of the best healthcare systems in the world, despite its general lack of resources. With the healthcare obligation embedded in the constitution, how are Cubans currently faring with their healthcare? Could the United States, a country with substantially more resources, enact the same guarantee into its legal regime and produce better outcomes for patients? This paper argues that while the ACA personal mandate for insurance is a push towards collectivism, socialized medicine is still a far way off.
    [Show full text]
  • Page 1 of 21 IB Extended Essay an Examination of Cuban Health Following the Cuban-Revolution Research Question: to What Extent D
    IB Extended Essay An Examination of Cuban Health Following the Cuban-Revolution Research Question: To what extent did Cuban social reforms in the health care sector (implemented by Fidel Castro post-revolution, 1959) lead to an overall improvement in health among the Cuban populace? IB Subject: History Personal Code: ftr753 Session: May 2017 Word Count: 3,796 Abstract Page 1 of 21 The Cuban Revolution officially began in 1953 with a failed attempt at seizing the Moncada Barracks and culminated in 1958 with the capture of Havana at the hands of Fidel Castro’s Revolutionary Army. Castro’s victory sparked widespread social reforms across all platforms. However some of the most critical and beneficial reforms occurred in the Cuban health care sector. In this study my research question was: to what extent did Cuban social reforms in the health care sector (implemented by Fidel Castro post-revolution, 1959) lead to an overall improvement in health among the Cuban populace? My paper draws on data from large international organizations responsible for monitoring health around the world (i.e. the World Health Organization) as well as from the analysis and opinions of multiple academics who are experts on Cuban health such as Julie Feinsilver and Tassie Hirschfeld. My paper argues that Castro’s restructured health systems drastically improved overall health in Cuba (as compared to the health of the nation under Fulgencio Batista before the Revolution) through the implementation of multiple social policies such as the Family Doctor Program. I concluded that health reform was so impactful in Cuba because of: a successful reconstruction of the logistical/physical aspects of the Cuban health system (i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Maternal and Child Health Care in Cuba: Achievements and Challenges*
    Pan American Journal Special Report of Public Health Maternal and child health care in Cuba: achievements and challenges* María Cecilia Santana Espinosa,1 Mercedes Esquivel Lauzurique,2 Violeta Regla Herrera Alcázar,1 Berta Lidia Castro Pacheco,3 María del Carmen Machado Lubián,4 Duniesky Cintra Cala,5 Roberto Tomás Álvarez Fumero6 y Beatriz Marcheco Teruel7 Suggested citation (original manuscript) Santana Espinosa MC, Esquivel Lauzurique M, Herrera Alcázar VR, Castro Pacheco BL, Machado Lubián MC, Cintra Cala D, et al. Atención a la salud maternoinfantil en Cuba: logros y desafíos. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2018;42:e27. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2018.27 ABSTRACT In Cuba, maternal and child health care is based on the priority granted by the State, the imple- mentation of the National Maternal–Child Health Program and the guarantee of equitable access to health services. This article describes the Cuban experience in this field, as well as its main achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. Among the most relevant results up to 2015 are the reduction of infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate to 4.3 and 5.7 deaths per 1000 live births, respectively; 5-year survival of 99.4%; more than 10 prenatal check-ups per delivery; 5.3% of low birth weight; 99.9% of institutional births; and being the first country to validate the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS and congenital syphilis. The main challenges are to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding; to reduce anemia due to iron deficiency in children and pregnant women; to reduce overweight in children; to prevent accidents; and to reduce maternal mortality, adolescent fertility rate, and voluntary abortion.
    [Show full text]
  • Discourses on Cuban Healthcare and Development
    1 A Contradictory Paradox: Discourses on Cuban Healthcare and Development Ari Coopersmith Advisor: Christy Schuetze Swarthmore College Department of Sociology/Anthropology April 2017 2 Contents Acknowledgements Preface ........................................................................................ 3 Introduction: "Distorted Development" ............................................................. 9 Chapter 1: "Revolutionary Medicine" .....................................................20 Chapter 2: The Cuban Health Paradox and Development Economics .............. .56 Chapter 3: The Cuban Health Paradox and Biopolitics ................................ so Conclusion: Looking Towards the Future ............................................. 100 Bibliography ............................................................................... 104 Acknowledgements: A sincere thank you to my Major and Thesis Advisor, the recently tenured Professor Christy Schuetze; to all my professors, the Sociology/Anthropology Department, and everyone else at Swarthmore; to my family; my friends; my classmates; and to the Cuban people from whom I learned so much. I feel very grateful that you are all part of my life and that you have all made this thesis possible. 3 Preface: The Cuban Health Paradox "Vivimos como pobres y morimos como ricos," or "we live like the poor and die like the rich." So goes a common saying among Cubans, which many Cubans evoke to contrast the nation's general health status with access to material resources as a whole. This saying
    [Show full text]
  • Cuban Experience with Local Production of Medicines
    Cuban experience with local production of medicines, technology transfer and improving access to health Cuban experience with local production of medicines, technology transfer and improving access to health Property and Trade Intellectual Innovation R&D, Transfer Technology PAHO LOGO Name Emblem The PAHO logo consists of the PAHO emblem (approImproving Access ved by the Directive Council on September 1978 DC34.R18) together with the name of the Organization. The PAHO logo is a valuable component of the Organization’s intellectual property as it conveys instant association with and recognition of Financing the Organization. The PAHO logo represents the single brand of the Organization and cannot be altered. ISBN 978 92 4 150971 8 Logo (horizontal) Reporting Monitoring and Positive versions The logo of WHO Regional Office for the Americas must be included next to or below the PAHO The horizontal logo is a substitute of the standard logo in cases when the applicability of logo on information products published by PAHO. Both logos should be in the same language as the standard logo is constrained due to space or aesthetic reasons. The cases identified so far for the use of the horizontal logo are: Press Room backdrops, signposting of buildings, the information product on which they appear. e-mail newsletters, Facebook timeline as part of the top image. CMYK Horizontal layout: The WHO logo is displayed next to the PAHO logo. The CMYK horizontal logo is designed for small communication media such as mobile web, electronic newsletters, Facebook pages, PowerPoint presentations, etc. Pantone EC Corporate Blue Vertical layout: The WHO logo is displayed below the PAHO logo.
    [Show full text]
  • Transformations in the Health System in Cuba and Current Strategies for Its Consolidation and Sustainability*
    Pan American Journal Overview of Public Health Transformations in the health system in Cuba and current strategies for its consolidation and sustainability* Roberto Morales Ojeda,1 Pedro Mas Bermejo,2 Pastor Castell-Florit Serrate,3 Carmen Arocha Mariño,3 Nelly C. Valdivia Onega,4 Dalilis Druyet Castillo1 and José A. Menéndez Bravo1 Suggested citation (original manuscript) Morales Ojeda R, Mas Bermejo P, Castell-Florit Serrate P, Arocha Mariño C, Valdivia Onega NC, Druyet Castillo D, et al. Transformaciones en el sistema de salud en Cuba y estrategias actuales para su consolidación y sostenibilidad. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2018;42:e25. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2018.25 ABSTRACT In Cuba, universal access and health coverage rest on three key principles: health as a human right, equity and solidarity. Although many of the Cuban health indicators are among the best in the Region of the Americas, in 2011 it was decided to reorganize health services, in line with the process of updating the Cuban economic and social model that occurred in all sectors. For this purpose, an action-research project was designed, including a situation diagnosis, imple- mentation of changes and evaluation of the results, in several stages. As a result, human resources were rationalized with a reduction of more than 150 000 posts not directly linked to patient care, management structures were reduced in 57 municipalities, 46 polyclinics were compacted, the Family Physician and Nurse Program was optimized with 20 specialties for the community care, teaching
    [Show full text]
  • Primary Care in Cuba
    4SOCIAL COMMENTARY Primary Care in Cuba Stephanie Hauge University of Minnesota School of Public Health Division of Health Services Research and Policy Minneapolis, MN 55455 ABSTRACT system and the first-hand knowledge that occurs through direct observation and unplanned conversations. The Cuban health system surprises the international health community with strong health indicators despite This paper will analyze a health care system and culture economic hardship and international political tensions. qualitatively different from any other in the world, and This paper provides an analysis of the Cuban health sys- particularly unique from the US, with a special focus on tem with a special focus on the role of primary care and the attainment of population health through primary primary care practitioners in Cuban culture. The paper care. While statistics and literature provide the scien- also includes a discussion of Cuban health indicators, tific backing for my commentary, the body of the paper current epidemiological issues, national health initia- consists of the experiences and observations I acquired tives, and the effects of Cuba’s political situation on its during my stay. My impressions are based on my personal health care system. experiences, yet I hope to frame them in a way that still conveys a basic level of clarity about the delivery of pub- lic health in Cuba. I will present background information INTRODUCTION on Cuba’s political situation and health care structure, which will be followed by a detailed analysis of the pri- I flew into Cuba just as the sun’s last rays were being mary care system. overpowered by towering thunderheads, displacing my bird’s eye view of the countryside.
    [Show full text]
  • Perspectives from Cuba's National Health System
    Quality in Primary Care 2008;16:269–77 # 2008 Radcliffe Publishing International exchange The health of a nation: perspectives from Cuba’s national health system Maxine Offredy BA(Hons) PhD Reader in Primary Health Care, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the current healthcare system with the literature on Cuba. The effects of the in Cuba and provides a description of an alternative economic crisis, the US embargo and the absence healthcare provision. The information is based on a of international debate about Cuba’s health achieve- visit to the country in 2007 as a member of a health ments are discussed. study tour. The purpose of the visit was to explore the functioning of a population-based health service Keywords: community-based healthcare, health- and to interview key people. The data are compared care achievements, population-based healthcare How this fits in with quality in primary care What do we know? Relatively little is known about the organisation and achievements of Cuba’s healthcare system due to the absence of debate on the topic in many global scientific discourses. We also know that public policy makers have not emulated some of these achievements for poor countries. This contrasts with the dialogue of world leaders whose vision is to eradicate some diseases common in third world countries but have yet to evaluate the sustained success of Cuba’s developed-world health outcomes in the face of stringent economic conditions. What does this paper add? This paper makes a contribution to the exposition of Cuba’s healthcare achievements whilst highlighting views of its critics.
    [Show full text]