Book Reviews |
Beyrer C, Pizer HF (editors). Public health & human rights: evidence-based approaches.
Steven S CoughlinEpidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Beyrer C, Pizer HF (editors). Public health & human rights: evidence-based approaches. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007. 470 pp. ISBN 13: 978-0-8018-8647-8, paperback.
As noted by the late Jonathan Mann, social injustices and limits on basic rights and freedoms can have direct and indirect effects on the health of individuals, communities and populations.1 The recent book edited by Chris Beyrer and H.F. Pizer on Public Health & Human Rights: Evidence-Based Approaches,2 is a welcome addition to the literature on the intersection of public health and human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes a number of important civil and political rights as well as cultural, economic and social rights such as the right of each person and his or her family to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services.3 From a legal perspective, human rights refer to a body of international law including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other documents.4 Despite their importance, human rights frameworks have sometimes been criticized as being overly vague or unenforceable.4 Nevertheless, as Gostin noted, the language of human rights is often used for its aspiration or rhetorical qualities: ‘It expresses the idea that government should adhere to certain standards, or provide certain services, because it is right and just to do so’.4
The important questions addressed in Public Health & Human Rights: Evidence-Based Approaches include, ‘How do human rights violations affect the health of populations? How can such’ complex interactions best be studied, analyzed, and remedied? How can the efforts of human rights advocates further affect health outcomes? And, finally, [how] can the tools of modern public health better assist in documenting, understanding, and preventing human rights violations?’2 An introductory chapter by Chris Beyrer provides an overview of human rights and population health and describes the rise of interest in this field in recent decades. The remainder of the book is divided into three parts: (i) cases and contexts, (ii) methods and (iii) policy. The chapters were written by internationally recognized experts in public health research, human rights advocacy and humanitarian relief. In the chapters included in part one, a range of difficult topics are dealt with including the impact of human rights violations on the health of internally displaced persons in Burma (Myanmar). The chapters included in part two deal with methodologic issues pertaining to public health and human rights including those arising in studies of the adverse effects on womens’ health of sex trafficking, and research into maternal and child health in profoundly difficult contexts such as civil conflicts in West Africa, and genocide in Darfur. The chapters included in part three of the book, which deal with policy issues, are equally engaging and thought-provoking. These include strategies used by members of international advocacy organizations to help ensure continued progress toward protecting and realizing fundamental human rights, and a success story about the application of human rights principles to public health practice in Brazil. The important linkages between human rights and public health ethics4–6 are dealt with throughout the book.
Through the use of thoughtful case studies, methodologic reviews and conceptual models, the authors convincingly argue that evidence-based approaches are likely to be helpful for analyzing and addressing human rights violations that adversely affect human dignity, well-being, and public health outcomes. This engaging and important book is likely to interest a broad range of readers including many practicing epidemiologists, medical anthropologists and other public health professionals, as well as relief workers, advocates and policy makers who are actively addressing health and human rights.
The findings and conclusions in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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1 Mann J. Human rights and the new public health. Health Hum Rights (1995) 3:229–33.
2 Beyrer C, Pizer HF, eds. Public Health & Human Rights: Evidence-Based Approaches. (2007) Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
3 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). 25+ human rights documents. (2005) New York: Columbia University Center for the Study of Human Rights. 5–8.
4 Gostin L. Tradition, profession, and values in public health. In: Ethics and public health: model curriculum.—Jennings B, Kahn J, Mastroianni A, Parker LS, eds. (2003,) Washington, DC: Association of Schools of Public Health. 13–20.
5 Anand S, Peter F, Sen A, eds. Public health, ethics, and equity. (2004) New York: Oxford University Press.
6 Gruskin S, Dickens B. Human rights and ethics in public health. Am J Public Health (2006) 96:1903–5.
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