Special issue of JICM on global public health and the Declaration of Astana

A special focus issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine (JICM) on Global Public Health is a response to the Declaration of Astana, developed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. With contributions from traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) scholars and thought leaders around the world, the issue showcases research and scholarship examining the opportunities and challenges that TCIM approaches offer global health to governments and health service providers seeking to fulfill the declaration’s promise to the international community.

The study titled “Traditional Health Care Practitioners’ Perspectives on Applying Informed Consent During African Traditional Medical Practice in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study” explores the perspectives of traditional health care practitioners practicing in the areas of herbalism, bone setting, and traditional birth attendance on the possibility and implications of applying informed consent during African traditional medicine practice.

In the article titled “Naturopathic Workforce: A Global Resource Toward the Declaration of Astana Goals – A Multimethods Study,” the investigators stated that the naturopathic workforce represents an untapped health care resource with a demonstrated track record of translating the aspirational goals of the Declaration of Astana into practice. Based on their findings, they concluded that “naturopathy remains inconsistently regulated globally, serving as a significant barrier to partnering with other health system actors to attain the health-related SDGs [UN Sustainable Development Goals].”

The authors of the article titled “Characterizing Therapeutic Pluralism Policies in Latin America: A Qualitative Content Analysis” defined the novel term, “therapeutic pluralism,” and characterized related policies in Latin America. They defined therapeutic pluralism as the “strategic action field in which a variety of social actors, perceiving life, health and healing according to diverging (or converging) cosmologies and cultures, mobilize for social space and the transformation of socially constructed systems and agency for inclusive action in health.”

“The vision of the Declaration of Astana has manifested in the collection of research innovation and scholarly work represented in this special issue. As co-editors, we have been enriched, humbled, and inspired by the global response that the spirit of Astana has elicited. Bringing together worldwide expertise in clinical practice, assessment and commitment to the public’s health, we echo the message and mandate of the World Health Organization and UNICEF: Together we can and will achieve health and well-being for all, leaving no one behind,” states Guest Editors Gail Hughes, PhD, Elizabeth Sommers PhD, and Amie Steel, PhD.

“JICM strives to advance Whole Health – which includes not only whole person, but also whole planet approaches. Thinking health globally is thus an imperative, and this special issue does it in an exemplary way, thanks to the wonderful guest editorial team and the extraordinary and inspiring panel of global authors,” states JICM Editor-in-Chief Holger Cramer, PhD.

About the Journal
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine (JICM) is the leading peer-reviewed journal providing scientific research for the evaluation and integration of complementary and integrative medicine into mainstream medical practice. The Journal is under the editorial leadership of Editor-in-Chief Holger Cramer, PhD, University of Tübingen, Germany, and other leading investigators.

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, and public health and policy. For complete information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.