Abstract

GONZALEZ M, Edwin Rolando. The Public health as a transdisciplinary field. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2007, vol.25, n.1, pp.71-77. ISSN 0120-386X.

A recently published paper (_ Public health as a scientific discipline: support for academic programs  ) states that Ph. D. programs in public health must be based in consideration of public health as a scientific discipline because it has a defined object and also has support on a group of theories and methodological procedures to guide and to carry out its researches. That article contributed to promote reflections about this international debate. In this sense, the present paper also seeks to participate in the discussion concerning three fundamental ideas: 1) to insist that public health is more a transdisciplinary field than a scientific discipline, in which several disciplines converge giving it its theoretical and methodological basis (eg. epidemiology, administration, planning, etc); 2) to discuss the statement that _ only a scientific discipline can provide the elements to systematically and creatively encompass realities which are very complex  , showing the limitations of the disciplinary paradigm and that complexity demands more comprehensive proposals; 3) to insist in the convenience of assuming public health as a transdisciplinary field of knowledge and practice and that the basis of this paradigm (a disciplinary epistemology) contribute to the discussion of some of the current questions related to the object of public health, thus becoming a challenge in terms of an integral analysis that have become a necessity to face the problems of public health. Given the specific feature of the topic discussed and taking into account the limitations in the extension of this document, some historical aspects and definitions developed about public health will not be discussed, but comments will be made when they are considered pertinent for the sake of its contribution in the described line

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