In the past few years, the health sector has intensively explored the contributions of the Arts in the treatment of diseases and in health prevention and promotion interventions. More recently, we see how this approach has boomed.
This interest can be traced back to the holistic and biopsychosocial vision that was promoted by WHO with a definition that has become paradigmatic: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just the absence of conditions or diseases.”
We understand the discipline of Arts in Health as a very wide range of activities that the arts sector and the community environment make available to health professionals when tackling a specific pathology: whether as interventions in a therapeutic plan or in its prevention and health promotion activities of a population.
To know the status of the issue of the field of Arts in Health (Arts in Health) we recommend this resource of the World Health Organization (WHO):
What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review
Daisy Fancourt, Saoirse Finn
Health Evidence Network synthesis report 67, 2019
World Health Organization
link to more info and downloadable PDF
For a critical review of the Report, you can also refer to Clift, Stephen. (2020). Fancourt, D. and Finn, S. (2019) What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review.«Nordic Journal of Arts, Culture and Health». Vol. 2. No. 1 p. 77-83 [link]
More resources: Main Arts in Health Concepts Arts in Health: taxonomy of interventions Repository for Arts and Health Resource Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health (UK)