Ecohealth Research in Practice: Innovative Applications of an Ecosystem Approach to Health

This book is about doing innovative research to achieve sustainable and equitable change in people’s health and well-being through improved interactions with the environment. It presents experiences from the field of ecosystem approaches to health (or ecohealth research) and some insights and lessons learned. It builds on previous literature, notably Forget (1997), Forget and Lebel (2001), Lebel (2003), and Waltner-Toews et al. (2008). Through case-studies and other contributions by researchers supported by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the book presents evidence of real changes in conditions of people, their health, and the ecosystems that support them. These changes were derived from applications of an ecosystem approach to health in developing regions of the world. The book also illustrates the resulting body of applied, participatory, and action research that improved health and environmental management in developing countries and, in many cases, influenced policies and practices.

Nearly two decades after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (commonly called the Rio Summit), the world is still facing a profound need for development to alleviate poverty and improve human lives through more equitable access and use of resources and healthier environments. Understanding that human health depends on quality ecosystems, researchers are cutting a new path toward a more sustainable future.  An ecosystem approach to health, integrating research and practice from such fields as environmental management, public health, biodiversity, and economic development, is based on an understanding that people are part of complex socio-ecological systems.

 

Featuring case studies from around the world, Ecohealth Research in Practice demonstrates innovative practices in agriculture, natural resource management, community building, and disease prevention, reflecting the state of the art in research, application, and policymakingin the field.  The book demonstrates how ecohealth research works and how it has led to lasting changes for the betterment of peoples’ lives and the ecosystems that support them.

 

Dominique F. Charron leads IDRC’s program in Ecosystems and Human Health (Ecohealth), which examines the links between the environment and human health in the developing world. Dr. Charron holds a PhD in epidemiology and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Guelph.

 

Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and change to those who need it most.

 

 

ISBN: 978-1-4614-0516-0

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