Planetary health and health education in Brazil: facing inequalities

Leal Filho, Walter, de Andrade Guerra, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório, de Aguiar Dutra, Ana Regina, Peixoto, Maria Gabriela Mendonça, Traebert, Jefferson and Nagy, Gustavo J (2022) Planetary health and health education in Brazil: facing inequalities. One Health, 15. p. 100461. ISSN 2352-7714

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Abstract

Brazil has the world's fifth-largest population and seventh-largest economy. However, it also has many inequalities, especially in health education, which impacts health sector services. Thus, this article aims to describe the situation of planetary health and health education in Brazil, identifying how current policies support the cause of planetary health. This study had a qualitative approach characterised as exploratory research based on an integrative review and documentary research. The results show that, in recent decades, there have been positive improvements to achieve collective and planetary health, which advocates empathy and pro-environmental and humanitarian attitudes. However, the pursuit of planetary health in Brazil is being influenced by various challenges, ranging from the need for a sound policy framework to provisions of education and training on planetary health. Based on the need to address these deficiencies, the paper suggests some measures which should be considered as part of efforts to realise the potential of planetary health in the fifth largest country in the world.