Findings from the Field
Revitalizing Health for All: Case Studies of the Struggle for Comprehensive Primary Health Care
While impressive medical and technological developments have improved health care around the world, improvements in health have been moderate and inconsistent across countries and communities. In response to this challenge, the World Health Organization outlined the concept of comprehensive primary health care, which involves not only providing a range of medical care from prevention to treatment, but also working to improve equity in health care access, community empowerment, the participation of marginalized groups, and collaboration across sectors beyond health.
Revitalizing Health for All examines 13 cases of efforts to implement comprehensive primary health care reforms in communities around the globe, including in Australia, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Iran. The case studies originated from an international research-to-action initiative that brought researchers and research-users from national public health systems together to design, implement, and assess local projects. This volume reveals the similarities among comprehensive primary health care projects in diverse national contexts and offers a rich evidence base from which future reform initiatives can draw.