Borders and boundaries play a significant role in human health, health organizations, health policies, and health statistics. The crossing of borders, whether national, cultural, or physical, occurs as disease spreads, as refugees flee, and as knowledge is transferred---all of which impact health.   The following examples of web pages on health demonstrate how borders get defined and crossed, and how these borders affect both images and practices of international health. Health Surveillance in the UK This site is intended to provide information about communicable disease surveillance both nationally (for the UK) and internationally. For example, the site has links to Salm-Net which tracks salmonella in Europe. But note what the site calls "European collaboration" in the tracking of these diseases. How is this information being increasingly shared across national borders, and with which Europeans is the collaboration being accomplished? Click here to see an example. Sharing Across Borders in Israel This site is part of a larger site on health in Israel. It claims in its opening statements that "medical care is a universal right transcending boundaries of ideology and political borders." Examine the site and assess how it establishes this claim. Notice the section called Beginnings which mentions that healthcare is a "Long-Standing Tradition" in Israel. Islamic Medical Association of South Africa As people cross borders, their diseases and health care practices usually move with them. This organization formed in response to the lack of adequate health services for rural black communities under apartheid. The clinics and publications of the association are aimed at promoting an understanding of Islamic viewpoints and perspectives about health. It fosters understanding "within the framework of Islam." This link provides a window into issues about the importance of cross-cultural perspectives, and shows the attempts being made to translate across cultural borders and boundaries in medicine. Click here for an illustration of these issues developed for the United States. Other Sites about Border Crossings WHO Europe U.S. Mexico Border Health Association Tibetan Medicine Resources Dakshinayan (non-profit organization for the healthcare of tribal peoples) HRSA Border Health Page PAHO site     Suggestions for further research and sites with multiple links listed: Cross-cultural care for Asian Americans Tulane University's international health links and data EPA info about environmental issues on US/Mexico border

This page created and maintained by James Trostle, Mary Ellen Rodgers, and Christine Maltese.
Copyright 1998.