Michael Chen-Xu New Zealand Medical Students’ Association

We are NZ’s future health professionals Increasing costs of healthcare Ageing population, new technology, obesity Significant inequalities in social determinants of health Health inequities – ethnic, SES, children Double burden of infectious and chronic diseases Climate change “The biggest global health threat of the 21 st century…” 1 1 Costello et al. Managing the health effects of climate change. Lancet. 2009;373:

Vision A paradigm shift: Encouraging health, rather than simply treating disease Means: Addressing social determinants of health Abandoning the patriarchal paradigm Becoming advocates for change

WHO definition of Health Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity 2 2 World Health Organization WHO definition of Health, Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19–22 June 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States and entered into force on 7 April 1948.WHO definition of Health

How to get there? Challenge of communicating this vision Enhancing social cohesion Integration of addressing social determinants of health as doctors, particularly in primary care Alma Ata Declaration Ottawa Charter

How to get there? Source: Rasanthan et al. Primary healthcare and the social determinants of health: essential and complementary approaches for reducing inequities in health. J Epidemiol Community Health 2011

Health Professionals for a New Century Empowerment of young professionals – Tangible research opportunities in the community; making that difference quantifiable – Supporting student/young person advocacy: IFMSA projects, P3 foundation, NZMSA Developing social accountability in education 3 – Integrating clinical presentations with public health, equity vs. equality, cultural competency 3 Wen LS et al. Social accountability in health professionals’ training. Lancet. 2011

A “call to action”