AS CIÊNCIAS SOCIAIS NAS ESCOLAS DE SAÚDE PÚBLICA

Abstract

The University of São Paulo School of Hygiene and Public Health was one of the first, if not first, schools of Public Health to include Social Sciences in its curriculum. In 1915 it created, the disciplin "Problems in Applied Sociology", under the Department of Public Health Practice, designed for students in its Course of Hygiene and Public Health for Medical Doctors. At present classes in Sociology, Social Anthropology and principles of Social Psychology, Politics and Economy are lectured under the title Applied Social Sciences and include students from all its courses. The author, considering the importance of Social Sciences for formation of any Public Health technician, proposes the creation of a department specialized in Social Sciences in all schools of Public Health. The author has verified that schools in which Social Sciences have already been introduced are either solving the problem partially by teaching a simple discipline or creating more than on department. He considers both solutions inadequate, unity of department being preferable for Applied Social Sciences. Such a department should be made up of the following basic subjects: Social Anthropology, Sociology, Social Psychology, Economy and Political Sciences. Notions of Human Ecology, Psychology, Finances and Philosophical Aspects of Public Health could be included in the curriculum as well. The department of Applied Social Sciences would have the following basic functions: teaching, research student orientation, assessorship and coordination. The author believes, based on his personal experience in teaching Social Sciences at the School of Hygiene and Public Health since 1946 that the head of the department must have formation and exprience both in Public Health and Social Sciences, a very rare combination.