A new Social Medicine Portal has been established to promote the understanding and practice of social medicine.
Hosted by the US-based Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the site contains a useful historical introduction to some of the key principles of social medicine:
Social and economic conditions profoundly impact health, disease and the practice of medicine.
The health of the population is a matter of social concern.
Society should promote health through both individual and social means.
Social medicine highlights the importance of income, good housing, nutrition, sanitation, education and safe working environments as determinants in communicable and chronic diseases.
The website is an opportunity for health activists, professionals and researchers to develop their knowledge of the interaction between health and society through material such as presentations, articles, mailing lists and directories.
