What are the advantages and limitations of epidemiology for decreasing health inequalities at the local level? To answer this question, the current article discusses the role of epidemiology. The hypothesis is that epidemiology produces useful knowledge for local management of interventions aimed at reducing health inequalities, expressed in spaces built by human communities through social and historical processes. Local production of epidemiological knowledge should support action by social actors in specific situations and contexts, thus renewing the appreciation for ecological designs and georeference studies. Such knowledge output and application are also an organizational phenomenon. Organizations can be seen as "conversational networks". In conclusion, strategic and communicative actions by health workers should provide the central thrust for defining new health care and management models committed to decreasing health inequalities, with epidemiology playing a key role.
Health Inequalities; Health Management; Public Policy
