The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab have unveiled a pioneering Lancet Global Series focused on investigating the health benefits of engagement with the arts.
This research collaboration, initiated on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), builds upon the foundation laid by a 2019 WHO report. The report emphasized the significant role of the arts in enhancing health and well-being, promoting health equity, preventing diseases, and managing acute and chronic conditions throughout a person’s life. Such initiatives encompass a broad spectrum, from dance programs for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease to music therapy for pain management and drama therapy supporting social-emotional development, among others.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, Chief Scientist at WHO, highlighted the convergence of science and the arts, dispelling the notion of their separation. He noted the historical and powerful synergy between different disciplines in fostering innovation and healing. Farrar expressed enthusiasm for the Jameel Arts & Health Lab – Lancet global series, which aims to elucidate the scientific basis of the arts’ role in health with rigor and to establish artists and scientists as indispensable partners in promoting health and well-being for all.
This research series will be grounded in a novel conceptual framework that underscores the arts’ pivotal role in supporting health. It will particularly focus on noncommunicable diseases, which are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Additionally, it aims to raise awareness about the existing evidence base and provide recommendations for enhancing global policy guidance. Key areas of focus include expanding promising interventions through social prescribing and fostering intersectoral collaboration among the arts, health, education, and social care sectors. Ultimately, this groundbreaking series aims to illuminate the profound impact of the arts on human health and advocate for their integration into healthcare and wellness strategies.
