Intersectoral action for health at a municipal level in Cuba.

Objective: To consider how Cuba's acknowledged achievement of excellent health outcomes may relate to how health determinants are addressed intersectorally.

Methods: Our team of Canadian and Cuban researchers and health policy practitioners undertook a study to consider the organization and practices involved in addressing health determinants in 2 municipalities (1 urban and 1 rural). The study included a questionnaire of municipal Health Council members and others involved in health and non-health sectors, key informant interviews of policy makers, focus groups in each municipality and examination of three common case scenarios.

Network analysis as a tool to assess the intersectoral management of health determinants at the local level: a report from an exploratory study of two Cuban municipalities.

Intersectoral action on health determinants has long been recognized as an important factor in achieving better population health. Nevertheless, there is no process that provides empirical evidence to policy-makers on the extent of intersectoral collaboration. We aimed to fill this gap by conducting case studies in two municipalities in Cuba, a country well known for its intersectoral practice and good health outcomes.