An international interdisciplinary conference on the Social History of Medicine and Public Health Policy in the Caribbean will be held in Barbados from 23rd to 26th May 2001 under the auspices of the Faculty of Humanities and the School for Clinical Medicine and Research of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. The Conference, the first of its kind in the Anglophone Caribbean, will address the following questions:- What are the historical roots of the continuing inequities in health care provision in Caribbean societies? What factors have contributed to the evolution of policies on public health in Caribbean societies? What successes and what failures have there been in the fight against disease? What comparative perspectives may be brought to bear from the experiences of other regions? How should Caribbean societies respond to the new health challenges they are facing in the 21st century, and how might the current neo-liberal climate of 'globalization' impact upon the future of health care provision in these societies?

The Conference will provide a forum for the discussion of these issues from a broad interdisciplinary perspective, with the aim of enhancing our historical understanding of health conditions in the region and of providing a framework for building towards greater health equity in the future. Participants will include health care practitioners, historians, social scientists, economists, policy makers and others. Participants from both within and outside the region are welcome.

2. SUGGESTED LIST OF THEMES AND SUB-THEMES:

I. Documenting the Social History of Medicine in the Caribbean
a. Epidemic Disease in Colonial and Post-colonial Society
b. Health in Slave Societies
c. History of Nursing
d. Infant mortality and Child Health in Colonial Society
e. Insanity and Mental health
f. Folk Medicine

II. The History of Public Health Policy and Planning
a. Philanthropy and Public Health in Colonial Society
b. History of Sanitation
c. Environmental Health
d. Poor Relief
e. The Colonial Welfare and Development Act

III. Society and Health

IV. Ethical and Economic Aspects of Health
a. Social Security Systems
b. Poverty and Ill-health
c. Health and Labour
d. Costs and Benefits of High-tech Medicine

V. Current and Future Strategies for Health Equity Beyond 2000
a. Health Sector Reform
b. Confronting the HIV/AIDS challenge
c. Regional/International Organizations and Strategies
d. Health and Public Education

3. Deadline for Submission of Proposals

Abstracts of not more than 300 words are invited on any of the above themes or on related issues. Abstracts should be submitted to reach Dr Alan Cobley, Chair, Conference Organising Committee not later than Friday 2nd March 2001.