Art and family medicine: contributions to patient well-being, medical education and primary care.

Revisão narrativa com ênfase no Uruguai e na América Latina

Abstract

Introduction: The integration of artistic activities into health care has gained relevance as a strategy for humanising care, promoting well-being and strengthening professional education. In family medicine, this approach is particularly relevant because of its biopsychosocial and community-oriented perspective. Objective: To analyse the role of the arts in patients’ well-being, medical education and primary care, with emphasis on Uruguay and Latin America. Methods: A narrative review of scientific literature and institutional documents was conducted. The search included PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO and Google Scholar, complemented by manual review of references and institutional sources. Reviews, original studies, medical humanities papers and documents related to medical education, humanisation of care and arts-in-health programmes were prioritised. Main findings: The available evidence suggests that arts-based interventions are associated with  psychological, social and, in some settings, physiological benefits; they may also support the expression of illness experiences, clinical communication and perceived support. In medical education, the arts and humanities have been linked to clinical observation, empathy, ethical reflection and narrative medicine. In Latin America, policies on humanisation, hospital programmes and centres of medical humanities provide relevant examples; in Uruguay, arts and mental health initiatives, cultural activities in health services and medical humanities teaching opportunities can be identified, although published local evidence remains scarce. Conclusions: The arts may act as a complementary tool in family medicine and primary care, both for patient well-being and for training professionals and strengthening communities.