Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Latin America

Since its formal birth in Cuba and subsequent recognition by the American Psychological Association, health psychology has made significant contributions worldwide in the field of public health. One of the key areas where this discipline has had the greatest impact is in health promotion and disease prevention. Health psychology has become deeply involved in these areas, offering insights into the psychological factors related to health and disease processes. It has developed interventions primarily focused on the cognitive, affective, emotional, motivational, and behavioral aspects of these processes (Arrivillaga,
2009; Fernandes Alves et al., 2009).
To understand the importance of health promotion and disease prevention for health psychology, it is necessary to approach the history of these two concepts, their similarities and differences, to recognize the contributions made and to pro
pose the future implications for Latin American health psychology.