Laura Menatti- a senior postdoctoral fellow specializing in environmental philosophy, landscape theory, and philosophy of medicine- was recently invited to give a talk as part of the ROTO lecture series. Return of the Organism (ROTO), a project by the Department of Philosophy I at Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany, focuses on the resurgence of the organism within the bio- and biomedical sciences, considering theoretical, historical, and social dimensions.

In her presentation "Medicine, Healthcare, and the Environment: from the salutogenic approach towards the salutogenic environments," Menatti examined how the ecological aspect of health in medicine can be comprehended and enriched through the salutogenic approach. Given the significant impact of environmental factors on our well-being, particularly exemplified by the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, it becomes urgent to integrate environmental considerations into our analysis of health, cultivating a more holistic understanding. By embracing the salutogenic approach, initially introduced by Aaron Antonovsky, the focus shifts towards perceiving the environment as a facilitator and promoter of health, rather than merely a source of negative or pathological influences.

Menatti began with an introduction to the historical and theoretical foundations of salutogenesis, as well as the contrasting concept of pathogenesis. Subsequently, she adapted the salutogenic approach to the present healthcare landscape, by introducing the concept of salutogenic environments with three key objectives in mind. Firstly, she aimed to underscore the positive and preventive aspects of the environment in relation to health. Secondly, she sought to clarify the opposition between pathogenic and salutogenic influences within the environment. Finally, she aimed to initiate a discussion and broaden the very definition of health employed in medical education and healthcare management.

Read more about Laura Menatti’s research here.