Upstream Medicine in Jalalabad City of Afghanistan: Doctors’ Views on Health, Society, and Policy
Keywords: Doctors’ Perspectives, Health Services Effectiveness, Rudolf Virchow’s Theory, Social Determinants of Health
Imranullah Akhtar
Abstract
The famous statement of the German pathologist and politician Rudolf Virchow, “Politics is medicine on a larger scale,” highlights the importance of social determinants of health. People’s income, education, work, housing, food, and environmental conditions have a profound impact on health outcomes, and the treatment of diseases is not limited to medicines and operations alone. This article examined the relationship between medicine and social determinants and assessed their importance based on the opinions of doctors in Jalalabad City of Afghanistan. The study methodology is based on a questionnaire and descriptive statistics, which included an analysis of the opinions of 189 doctors. The findings showed that about 54% of doctors believe that patients’ health is related to social conditions as well as treatment, and about 75% of doctors said that treatment is ineffective when a patient’s social or economic problems are not addressed. In conclusion, focusing on social determinants of health has improved the overall health of patients and society. It is recommended that the specialty field of "Upstream Medicine" be formalized in Afghanistan, and special attention be paid to the health of the poor and needy.
