Revista Cubana de Salud Pública
Print version ISSN 0864-3466
HADAD HADAD, Jorge Luis and VALDES LLANES, Elías. Social protection on health as a way of confronting the economic crisis. Rev. cub. salud pública [online]. 2010, vol.36, n.3, pp. 235-248. ISSN 0864-3466. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0864-34662010000300008.
The economic and financial crises are increasingly frequent, deep and global; they mainly affect social sectors, and among them, healthcare. These effects are particularly seen in the most vulnerable and risky groups, and in health services and programs. On the basis of the Cuban experience in the 90´s, the impact of crisis on health and its determiners and the adopted policies and interventions were studied. Also their effects were assessed. The conclusive criteria of this paper allowed knowing these crises better, their impact on health, and the best policies and strategies to reduce the effects. This paper was not intended to submit a model of confrontation to the crisis, but it managed to identify the policies and actions that would greatly contribute to the preservation of the population's health.
Keywords : Economic crisis; health policies; health indicators; Cuba.