Abstract
In the field of health, the concept of sustainability is not new, but it tends to focus more on environmental health policy. There is an urgent need to assimilate the contribution of social theory into the concept and practice of both sustainability and e-health. The concept of sustainability is very complex, involving environmental, economic and social issues. In addition, in most health sustainability studies, the issue of social sustainability is neglected, despite the fact that social issues are often at the crux of sustainability. E-health is essential for the sustainability of health care, but many e-health projects have failed. Investments in e-health are very high in the whole world, but no explicit research has examined its sustainability. The aim of this paper is to initiate a discussion about sustainability in the implementation and use of e-health in Brazil, with the hope that this will provide a foundation for holistic sustainable e-health systems.
Highlights
In an age of huge social inequality, economic turbulence and austerity, social unsustainability is very evident, given that four-fifths of the global population is in deficit on all three sustainability fronts
The aim of this paper is to initiate a discussion about sustainability in the implementation and use of e-health in Brazil, with the hope that this will provide a foundation for holistic sustainable e-health systems
In the literature of social sciences, issues of sustainability focus on the substantial conflict and the dichotomy that exists on two levels: 1) whether the focus should be on the needs of future or present generations and 2) who is to blame for environmental degradation
Summary
In an age of huge social inequality, economic turbulence and austerity, social unsustainability is very evident, given that four-fifths of the global population is in deficit on all three sustainability fronts. In the literature of social sciences, issues of sustainability focus on the substantial conflict and the dichotomy that exists on two levels: 1) whether the focus should be on the needs of future or present generations and 2) who is to blame for environmental degradation This dichotomy between the affluent North and impoverished South has conflicting priorities. While the North (including most proponents of sustainable development) is preoccupied with future generations the South is trying to meet the needs of its current generations (Hatt, Davidson, & Lock, 2005) In this context, providing for the needs of the present primarily means combating poverty and providing opportunity for a better life for existing populations
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