Health disparities in Brazil are often shaped by geography, with access to resources limited by social and racial inequalities. The at the Brown School鈥檚 is working to address these challenges by forming new partnerships and research initiatives that focus on the impact of local factors on population health and disparities in urban settings.
鈥淲hen we have inequalities, people aren鈥檛 making choices 鈥� they鈥檙e forced into decisions. They鈥檙e responding to needs, not preferences,鈥� said Professor Rodrigo Reis, co-director of the PHP Unit.
Recently, the PHP Unit organized a three-and-a-half-day workshop in Florian贸polis, Brazil, supported by the Brown School鈥檚 Global Programs Faculty Research Fund. The workshop brought together Reis and top experts from leading Brazilian universities to identify research priorities, formalize partnerships, and create educational programs.
鈥淚ssues of inequality are a growing concern in Brazil, especially when compared to other countries. Cities often lack cohesive spaces, which exacerbates social disparities,鈥� Reis noted. 鈥淏razil鈥檚 unique urban development patterns have intensified these inequalities, making it crucial to address these challenges through an interdisciplinary approach.鈥�
The group is working to establish formal Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with six Brazilian institutions, three of which have already been signed and approved by WashU and those peer institutions. They are also developing an international course for graduate 黑料社s, focusing on the intersection of health, people, and place. The course will be implemented across partner institutions in Brazil, Mexico, Texas, and the Brown School, with implementation slated for the upcoming academic year.
The PHP鈥檚 work aligns with WashU鈥檚 broader goals in environmental justice and public health. The university’s new School of Public Health and are expected to further support these efforts by integrating environmental and climate justice into its initiatives.
Looking ahead, the PHP Unit plans to finalize the remaining MOUs, complete a scientific paper based on the workshop findings, and further develop the international course syllabus. The team also aims to prepare a grant proposal to continue advancing their work in Brazil and apply their findings to similar issues in the U.S., particularly in St. Louis. Reis and the group believe the lessons learned in Brazil can inform public health strategies in the United States, where similar challenges related to structural racism and spatial segregation persist.
鈥淭he nuances are different, but similarly, structural racism has been intertwined with spatial segregation in Brazil as much as in the U.S. or particularly in St. Louis,鈥� Reis said. 鈥淭he needs in Brazil are not different from the needs we have in St. Louis. We have similar systems of oppression, structural racism. The things we learn in a place like Brazil can be applied in communities elsewhere, particularly in the United States.鈥�