Cultural heritage and public well-being: a strategy for community health from a different perspective

Abstract

Rationale and Objective: This article presents part of an elective program designed for fifth-year medical students at the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Sagua la Grande. The program integrates cultural heritage and public health from a community perspective. It argues that heritage, both tangible and intangible, is a fundamental social determinant of health, fostering important values ​​in students such as identity, traditional knowledge, and civic participation. Methodology: The curriculum, structured in three modules (foundations of heritage, heritage in health, and heritage management and value), employed an active learning methodology and culminated in research projects applied to local cultural and health heritage. Results: The course evaluation demonstrated a significant impact on student training, broadening their understanding of cultural determinants and their influence on public health, as well as developing competencies for designing more culturally sensitive interventions. The initiative was aligned with national and international policies, such as the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda declared by the United Nations, as well as the new Resolution of the Republic of Cuba for the care and conservation of Heritage, which allows it to be positioned as an innovative tool in the training of professionals capable of building healthier and more resilient communities through the revaluation of common heritage