RT Journal Article
T1 On the importance of primary and community healthcare in relation to global health and environmental threats: lessons from the COVID-19 crisis.
A1 Lauriola, Paolo
A1 Martin-Olmedo, Piedad
A1 Leonardi, Giovanni S
A1 Bouland, Catherine
A1 Verheij, Robert
A1 Dückers, Michel L A
A1 van Tongeren, Martie
A1 Laghi, Ferdinando
A1 van den Hazel, Peter
A1 Gokdemir, Ozden
A1 Segredo, Evelyn
A1 Etzel, Ruth A
A1 Abelsohn, Alan
A1 Bianchi, Fabrizio
A1 Romizi, Roberto
A1 Miserotti, Giuseppe
A1 Romizi, Francesco
A1 Bortolotti, Paolo
A1 Vinci, Emanuele
A1 Giustetto, Guido
A1 Santamaria, Mariagrazia
A1 Serafini, Alice
A1 Pegoraro, Samantha
A1 Agius, Raymond
A1 Zeka, Ariana
K1 environmental health
K1 health policy
K1 health systems
K1 prevention strategies
K1 public health
AB In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that primary healthcare systems play a critical role in clinical care, such as patient screening, triage, physical and psychological support and also in promoting good community advice and awareness in coordination with secondary healthcare and preventive care. Because of the role of social and environmental factors in COVID-19 transmission and burden of disease, it is essential to ensure that there is adequate coordination of population-based health services and public health interventions. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the primary and community healthcare (P&CHC) system's weaknesses worldwide. In many instances, P&CHC played only a minor role, the emphasis being on hospital and intensive care beds. This was compounded by political failures, in supporting local community resilience. Placing community building, social cohesion and resilience at the forefront of dealing with the COVID-19 crisis can help align solutions that provide a vision of 'planetary health'. This can be achieved by involving local well-being and participation in the face of any pervasive health and environmental crisis, including other epidemics and large-scale ecological crises. This paper proposes that P&CHC should take on two critical roles: first, to support local problem-solving efforts and to serve as a partner in innovative approaches to safeguarding community well-being; and second, to understand the local environment and health risks in the context of the global health perspective. We see this as an opportunity of immediate value and broad consequence beyond the control of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SN 2059-7908
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10668/24697
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10668/24697
LA en
DS RISalud
RD Apr 11, 2025