title: Population health diagnosis with an ecohealth approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the characteristics of health diagnosis according to the ecohealth approach in rural and urban communities in Mexico.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health diagnosis were conducted in La Nopalera, from December 2007 to October 2008, and in Atlihuayan, from December 2010 to October 2011. The research was based on three principles of the ecohealth approach: transdisciplinarity, community participation, gender and equity. To collect information, a joint methodology and several techniques were used to stimulate the participation of inhabitants. The diagnostic exercise was carried out in five phases that went from collecting information to prioritization of problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The constitution of the transdisciplinary team, as well as the participation of the population and the principle of gender/equity were differentials between the communities. In the rural community, the active participation of inhabitants and authorities was achieved and the principles of transdisciplinarity and gender/equity were incorporated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With all the difficulties that entails the boost in participation, the incorporation of gender/equity and transdisciplinarity in health diagnosis allowed a holistic public health approach closer to the needs of the population.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, México.
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arenas-Monreal
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, México.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cortez-Lugo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, México.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Parada-Toro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones en Sistemas de Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, México.
authors.forename: Lilian E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Pacheco-Magaña
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Académica, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, México.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magaña-Valladares
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003256:Community Participation; D004782:Environmental Health; D005260:Female; D006694:Holistic Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D055048:Integrative Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015980:Public Health Practice; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult