Ideology First: Physicians in Brazil's Bolsonaro

• In Event: Political Mobilization and Policy Responses in Developing Democracies

Abstract

Health professionals play a crucial role in health care delivery. However, they may place their ideological preferences above medical expertise. Critically, they may try to impose their ideological bias on issues such as family planning or sexually-transmitted disease prevention. In this paper, we collect political information from local health professionals in Brazil and analyze how medical procedures change for conservative doctors when their party marginally gains access to office. Our results imply that health professionals can effectively politicize public health.

Authors

• Lucas M. Novaes, Insper

• Horacio Larreguy, ITAM

• Leticia Nunes