Paper short abstract:

The aim of this paper focuses in a research proposal in which scientific rigor and social responsibility must be the core of any project of Applied Anthropology. According to this proposal, we will present our experiences in research-action projects with ethnic and autochthon minorities in Catalan Public Health Services.

Paper long abstract:

After almost a century of debate about the unavoidable risks of Applied Anthropology, the social use of Anthropology is revealed as one of the most fruitful fields of discipline.

This paper starts from the argument of the priority of the social responsibility in any action of this field, the quality and scientific rigor as an inexcusable condition and as a part of social responsibility and their added value as contrasting of the research results.

From this starting point we exposed, as a model, the applied researches in Health Anthropology we have developed since 2005. We will analyse questions linked to the methodology used, final products and specially their practical uses to contribute to the improvement of health assistance to populations in situation or risk of social marginalization and ethnic minorities, either immigrants or autochthon. The explanation will focus in the research we carried out since the beginning of 2006 to the end of 2009, entitled Socioeconomic Inequalities and Cultural Difference in Health field in neighbourhoods with priority action in Catalonia (Agreement between Health Department of Generalitat de Catalunya - Catalan Government- and GRAFO -Research Group of Applied and Fundamental Anthropology- of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona).

From the specific methodology of this project based in our proposal, we will highlight our experiences along the research process with particular emphasis to the uses of the results which have been specially oriented to the improvement of competences and knowledge about cultural differences and socioeconomic inequalities of people that medical professionals treat in their daily practice.