Reflections on Marxism in Health:

An Experience Report

Abstract

Context: Marxism is a line of thought that addresses economic and social relations from the perspective of class struggle, criticizing the capitalist structure and proposing a more just and egalitarian social structure. Thus, it permeates various fields of knowledge, including health. In the Brazilian context, it is a constitutional right and the duty of the State to provide health care, a legal framework that has changed the way the population's health is treated, strongly influenced by health reform and other social movements. In this sense, the determinants and conditions of health are part of the debate, particularly regarding population employment, the exploitation of the workforce, and the commodification of health. Based on the discussions, the objective was to conduct a narrative review of the literature and report reflections on the applicability and influence of Marxism on the health of the Brazilian population and the Unified Health System. Methods: This is an experience report of three master's students in the development of a seminar in public health. The research, conducted in April 2025 in the PubMed and BVS databases, used the descriptors "Public Health/Marxism" and "Public Health/Marxism," including full articles, free of charge and available online, in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, with no timeframe. Final Considerations: It is understood that discussing health from a Marxist perspective recognizes that equity is only possible by overcoming social inequalities, prioritizing collective well-being over economic interests.