Health for all: The promise of the affordable health care act for racially and ethnically diverse populations

摘要

As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its constitution (adopted in 1946), "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This broad conceptualization of health was at the heart of the first International Conference on Primary Health Care in 1978, which was convened to develop strategies for protecting and promoting health for all people in the world. Organized around the goal Health for All, the conference resulted in the Declaration of Alma-Ata, a call to action for governments, the WHO, UNICEF, and other international organizations. Collectively, they pledged to emphasize health as a critical element of sustained economic and social development and to develop primary health care as the route to individual and family participation in the health system. By linking health to community action, intersector cooperation, and the broader goal of social justice, the Declaration made clear that health is fundamental to the dignity and well-being of people.