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Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2003;57:235
© 2003 BMJ Publishing Group

SPEAKER'S CORNER

The caterpillar and the butterfly: public health in Spain

A Segura

Public Health Department, University of Barcelona, Spain; andreus@saludyorganizacion.com

Keywords: public health; Aphorism of the month

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In Spain, like in other countries, public health services are a small part of the health system. They are under the mandate of either local or regional health authorities and they are responsible for health protection and promotion activities, which include the surveillance and control of communicable diseases as well as community outbreaks and, also, the interventions to prevent and respond to health hazards or dangers.

The importance of public health in the health system is marginal. It amounts to only 1% of the total health budget, and it is not clear that these resources are used effectively. Many health information campaigns look more like propaganda from the health administrations themselves than proper health interventions.

Most public health professionals are civil servants. The population identifies them as the administration’s agents and, in some cases, as servants of health politicians. Thus, public health professionals are sharing with politicians a shortage of . . . [Full text of this article]


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