University Course “Culture and Health” 2025, Social Prescription: How doctors are using culture, sports, nature, and community service as medicine
The fifth iteration of the “Culture and Health” course, promoted by the Faculty of Biomedical Science at USI – Università della Svizzera italiana with IBSA Foundation for scientific research and the Culture Department of the City of Lugano, will see personalities from the world of science and culture come together on seven Mondays to discuss topics connected with “Social Prescribing” for personal health.
Open to the public, the themed lessons will be held from Monday 6 October to Monday 24 November in the Aula Polivalente at Campus Est in Lugano, from 6 to 7.45 p.m. The meetings are aimed at students and postgraduate students from the Faculty of Biomedical Science of USI, as well as anyone else who is interested. Every lesson involves an introductory keynote speech that will present the topic on the basis of the most recent scientific literature. This introduction will be followed by a debate involving an expert in the role of discussant.
The programme was put together by the course scientific committee consisting of Enzo Grossi, Luigi Di Corato, Silvia Misiti and Julia Hotz.
The 2025 Course on Culture and Health is dedicated to social prescribing, an increasingly common practice in many countries whereby family doctors “prescribe” patients a series of non-clinical community-based activities and services. These activities are made possible by a social intermediation service (so-called ‘link workers’), in collaboration with local institutions and associations. The aim of social prescribing is to improve the health and wellbeing of people that require special forms of support, people with chronic illnesses, anxiety or depression who live on their own or in conditions of social isolation and often have complex needs that negatively impact on their wellbeing.
After a first introductory lesson on the topic, each course meeting will be dedicated to a specific form of social prescribing: from physical activity and contact with nature to exposure to art and voluntary work, through to social inclusion.