Research output per year
Research output per year
Project Details
Description
In 2014 chronic diseases represent the leading cause of mortality in the world. As such there are currently major regional and national efforts not only to promote good health but also to prevent and control major chronic diseases and their risk factors. However, at the same time it is recognised that chronic diseases are not as high on the agenda of many governments as some infectious diseases.
The drive to direct more attention at these health issues has a long history, and there is a pressing need to know more about how campaigns were structured and initiatives advocated in the past. The proposed research project seeks to uncover part of this history by focussing on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recently catalogued photographic archive. The project takes different chronic diseases in turn, exploring what measures were taken to conceptualise, photograph and publicise them as part of advocacy efforts, and the attendant shifts over time. This project examines how the WHO pictured the impression left by chronic diseases on individuals, families, communities and nations, and the steps taken to control chronic conditions. Behind these striking, emotive images lies a complex administrative story with the potential to fill in the picture of chronic disease advocacy, why we are where we are today on the issue.
The drive to direct more attention at these health issues has a long history, and there is a pressing need to know more about how campaigns were structured and initiatives advocated in the past. The proposed research project seeks to uncover part of this history by focussing on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recently catalogued photographic archive. The project takes different chronic diseases in turn, exploring what measures were taken to conceptualise, photograph and publicise them as part of advocacy efforts, and the attendant shifts over time. This project examines how the WHO pictured the impression left by chronic diseases on individuals, families, communities and nations, and the steps taken to control chronic conditions. Behind these striking, emotive images lies a complex administrative story with the potential to fill in the picture of chronic disease advocacy, why we are where we are today on the issue.
Layman's description
In 2014 chronic diseases represent the leading cause of mortality in the world. As such there are currently major regional and national efforts not only to promote good health but also to prevent and control major chronic diseases and their risk factors. However, at the same time it is recognised that chronic diseases are not as high on the agenda of many governments as some infectious diseases.
The drive to direct more attention at these health issues has a long history, and there is a pressing need to know more about how campaigns were structured and initiatives advocated in the past. The proposed research project seeks to uncover part of this history by focussing on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recently catalogued photographic archive. The project takes different chronic diseases in turn, exploring what measures were taken to conceptualise, photograph and publicise them as part of advocacy efforts, and the attendant shifts over time. This project examines how the WHO pictured the impression left by chronic diseases on individuals, families, communities and nations, and the steps taken to control chronic conditions. Behind these striking, emotive images lies a complex administrative story with the potential to fill in the picture of chronic disease advocacy, why we are where we are today on the issue.
The drive to direct more attention at these health issues has a long history, and there is a pressing need to know more about how campaigns were structured and initiatives advocated in the past. The proposed research project seeks to uncover part of this history by focussing on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recently catalogued photographic archive. The project takes different chronic diseases in turn, exploring what measures were taken to conceptualise, photograph and publicise them as part of advocacy efforts, and the attendant shifts over time. This project examines how the WHO pictured the impression left by chronic diseases on individuals, families, communities and nations, and the steps taken to control chronic conditions. Behind these striking, emotive images lies a complex administrative story with the potential to fill in the picture of chronic disease advocacy, why we are where we are today on the issue.
Key findings
As chronic diseases came to be recognised as leading causes of mortality around the world, part of the WHO’s response was use photographic content, published in its public-facing magazines Newsletter and World Health, to educate the public, policymakers and decision-takers about the problem, inspire their cooperation and allay their fears. The project has examined what measures taken to conceptualise, photograph and publicise chronic diseases, focusing on different narratives including the power of scientific and technological progress; individual and community action for health; promising utopian and parallel dystopian visions.
Today, Diverse educational and advocacy efforts deployed to raise awareness on chronic conditions, with promotional campaigns, exhibitions, photo-stories and television spots commissioned. Visualizing the chronic disease burden and its impact therefore continues to play a crucial role in tackling what is often described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an ‘invisible’ epidemic. This project has responded to a call to better understand the different frames and techniques used to portray the NCD issue by asking what history can teach us about the ways in which chronic and noncommunicable diseases have been pictured in the past and the narratives and challenges arising from this work.
Publications: One article has been accepted for publication with the Journal of Global History: 'Between Art and Information: Communicating World Health, 1948-1970’ (authored by A. Medcalf) is scheduled for publication in March 2018. Another article based on this research is currently undergoing revisions following peer review with the Bulletin of the History of Medicine: ‘‘A Chronic Challenge’: Picturing Chronic Disease by the World Health Organization – 1948-1990’ (authored by A. Medcalf and K. Atkin).
Engagement activities: 2 public lectures were run in relation to this project. 'Haeckel’s Embryos: Images, evolution and fraud' (with N. Hopwood) on 20/10/2016 (https://www.york.ac.uk/history/global-health-histories/events/embryo-images-evolution/) and 'The Visual Politics of the WHO in Historical Perspective (1949-1974)' (with D. Rodogno and T. David) on 26/10/2016 (https://www.york.ac.uk/history/global-health-histories/events/visual-politics-who/). A Medicine & Visual Culture Research Masterclass featuring Ludmilla Jordanova was also held on 8/2/2017 (https://www.york.ac.uk/history/global-health-histories/events/visual-culture-masterclass/). These activities also allowed the PI to interact with leading historians, valuable to the research and writing process.
Today, Diverse educational and advocacy efforts deployed to raise awareness on chronic conditions, with promotional campaigns, exhibitions, photo-stories and television spots commissioned. Visualizing the chronic disease burden and its impact therefore continues to play a crucial role in tackling what is often described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an ‘invisible’ epidemic. This project has responded to a call to better understand the different frames and techniques used to portray the NCD issue by asking what history can teach us about the ways in which chronic and noncommunicable diseases have been pictured in the past and the narratives and challenges arising from this work.
Publications: One article has been accepted for publication with the Journal of Global History: 'Between Art and Information: Communicating World Health, 1948-1970’ (authored by A. Medcalf) is scheduled for publication in March 2018. Another article based on this research is currently undergoing revisions following peer review with the Bulletin of the History of Medicine: ‘‘A Chronic Challenge’: Picturing Chronic Disease by the World Health Organization – 1948-1990’ (authored by A. Medcalf and K. Atkin).
Engagement activities: 2 public lectures were run in relation to this project. 'Haeckel’s Embryos: Images, evolution and fraud' (with N. Hopwood) on 20/10/2016 (https://www.york.ac.uk/history/global-health-histories/events/embryo-images-evolution/) and 'The Visual Politics of the WHO in Historical Perspective (1949-1974)' (with D. Rodogno and T. David) on 26/10/2016 (https://www.york.ac.uk/history/global-health-histories/events/visual-politics-who/). A Medicine & Visual Culture Research Masterclass featuring Ludmilla Jordanova was also held on 8/2/2017 (https://www.york.ac.uk/history/global-health-histories/events/visual-culture-masterclass/). These activities also allowed the PI to interact with leading historians, valuable to the research and writing process.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 7/01/15 → 31/08/16 |
Research output
- 1 Article
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Between Art and Information: Communicating World Health, 1948-1970
Medcalf, A. J., Mar 2018, In: Journal of Global History. 13, 1, p. 94-120Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
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Northern Network for Medical Humanities Research Workshop
Medcalf, A. J. (Speaker)
22 Sept 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Seminar/workshop/course
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‘A Picture of Health: Photography, Film and the World Health Organization, 1948 – 1990’
Medcalf, A. J. (Invited speaker)
16 Mar 2016Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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[En]Countering Invisibility: Critical perspectives of Disease, Health Advocacy and Equity workshop
Medcalf, A. J. (Speaker)
6 Nov 2015Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Seminar/workshop/course