Learning Outcomes At
By the end of this module you should be able to:
1. Describe healthy public policy and its emergence as a concept;
2. Discuss Health in all Policies and issues
associated with its application; and
3. Describe a rationale for utilising intersectoral coalitions and partnerships for public health efforts.
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Module 11: Healthy Public Policy
Essential Readings At
The following are essential readings for this module that you should review prior to completing your workbook. You can access them via the Reading List.
1. Baum, F. (2016). Healthy Public Policy. In The New Public Health (4th edition., pp. 617-651). South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.
2. Laverack, G. (2013). Strategies to influence public policy. In Health Activism: Foundations and Strategies (pp. 51-65). London: SAGE Publications.
3. Laverack, G. (2013). Activism and the social determinants of health. In Health Activism: Foundations and Strategies (pp. 66-79). London: SAGE Publications.
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Reflect At
Activity 11.1: Healthy Public
-Healthy public policy is characterized by an explicit concern for health and equity in all areas of policy and by an accountability for health impact. The main aim of healthy public policy is to create a supportive environment to enable people to lead healthy lives. Such a policy makes healthy choices possible or easier for citizens. It makes social and physical environments health enhancing. In the pursuit of healthy public policy, government sectors concerned with agriculture, trade, education, industry and communications need to take into account health as an essential factor when formulating policy. These sectors should be accountable for the health consequences of their policy decisions. They should pay as much attention to health os to economic considerations.- (WHO, 1988).
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Address the following questions:
1. Why is working across sectors so important for public health?
2. Pick one of the following sectors and provide some reflections and specific examples of how public health is impacted by decisions made within this sector:
• Agriculture
• Criminal justice
• Housing
• Transport
Activity 11.2: Public Health Coalitions
Some examples of public health coalitions in Australia include:
• Climate and Health Alliance
• Alcohol Change Victoria
• Obesity Policy Coalition
Choose one and provide an overview including:
1. Who are the participating organisations?
2. What is the core purpose of the coalition?
3. What strategies does the coalition use to influence change (with particular reference to the chapters by
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Activity 11.2: Public Health Coalitions
Some examples of public health coalitions in Australia include:
• Climate and Health Alliance
• Alcohol Change Victoria
• Obesity Policy Coalition
Choose one and provide an overview including:
1. Who are the participating organisations?
2. What is the core purpose of the coalition?
3. What strategies does the coalition use to influence change (with particular reference to the chapters by Lave rack)?
Post your responses to the Module activities as a single thread in Module 11 on the Discussion Board by Sunday 3pm WST. Make sure you are integrating the module concepts and readings into your responses and responding to other student posts.
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Module 11: Healthy Public Policy
For Your Library A* *
These are useful publication/s to
save to your personal library and refer back to throughout your degree and future public health
career:
• Public health: ethical issues [pdf] from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics considers what the government, industry, other organisations and individuals should do to enable people to lead a healthy life. Everyone should have a fair opportunity to lead a healthy life, and therefore governments should try to remove inequalities that affect disadvantaged groups or individuals. To support this duty, the report proposes a ‘stewardship model’ that outlines ethical principles that should be considered by public health policy-makers; and sets out a series of public health goals. In seeking to attain appropriate public health goals, the state should minimise the degree of
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Sure, I can help you with that.
Question 1:
Working across sectors is important for public health because it allows for a more comprehensive approach to addressing health issues. By working together, different sectors can share information and resources, and develop policies and programs that are more effective in promoting health. For example, the agriculture sector can play a role in promoting healthy eating by providing funding for school gardens and nutrition education programs. The criminal justice sector can play a role in promoting mental health by providing access to treatment and support services for inmates. And the housing sector can play a role in promoting physical activity by providing safe and accessible places for people to walk, bike, and play.
Question 2:
I will choose the Obesity Policy Coalition as an example of a public health coalition in Australia. The Obesity Policy Coalition is a group of organizations that are working together to reduce obesity in Australia. The coalition includes government agencies, non-government organizations, and businesses. The coalition’s core purpose is to develop and advocate for policies that will help to reduce obesity. The coalition uses a variety of strategies to influence change, including:
Research and analysis: The coalition conducts research on the causes of obesity and the effectiveness of different policies to reduce obesity.
Policy development: The coalition develops policy proposals that are based on the best available evidence.
Advocacy: The coalition advocates for its policy proposals to government, the media, and the public.
Monitoring: The coalition monitors the implementation of obesity policies and evaluates their effectiveness.
The Obesity Policy Coalition has been successful in influencing a number of policies that have helped to reduce obesity in Australia. For example, the coalition was instrumental in the development of the National Obesity Strategy, which is a comprehensive plan to reduce obesity in Australia. The coalition has also been successful in advocating for changes to food labeling laws and the introduction of a sugar tax.
Conclusion:
Public health coalitions are an important tool for promoting health. By working together, different organizations can share information and resources, and develop policies and programs that are more effective in promoting health. The Obesity Policy Coalition is an example of a successful public health coalition that has made a significant impact on the health of Australians.
