Work

Colonial transitions in health

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The challenges of colonial transitions in health interact with epidemiology and philosophy, which are necessary to understand the contexts of health disparities found in the French colonies of New Caledonia and the Antilles developed here. Colonialism interact with the global health transitions, including demographic, epidemiological, and climatic transitions, through persistent colonial phenomenon in forms of neocolonialism and post-colonialism. This underscores the necessity of revaluating our relationship with nature and the boundaries of our existing perceptions, calling for an ethic grounded in distributive justice. The narrative of epidemiology spans from the practices of colonial physicians to the tenets of modern bioethics, delving into the chlordecone scandal. We explore the contributions of figures such as Frantz Fanon, who combated racism and colonialism, and address ongoing debates regarding the incorporation of race in epidemiological research. We underscore the essential incorporation of social inequalities in health, with a focus on intersectionality as a lens for revisiting epidemiology, alongside ecofeminism, the "One Health" approach, and art to comprehend the determinants of health.

Source: Ethics Medicine and Public Health

DOI: 10.1016/j.jemep.2025.101217

Author: P.-H. Moury

Institutions: University of Geneva, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, Centre Hospitalier Territorial de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Language: English

Topic: Race, Genetics, and Society

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,460