Health Public Policy
Healthy Public Policy systematically and transparently incorporates concern for population health and well-being into the planning and implementation of policies, programs, projects and services by government, non-government and the private sectors by proposing actions to minimise health risk, promote health and reduce health inequity.
Determinants of Population Health and Wellbeing
Source: Dahlgren G, Whitehead M (1991) Policies and Strategies to Promote Social Equity in Health, Institute of Futures Studies: Stockholm
Healthy public policies improve the conditions under which people live, for exaxmple good housing, safe communities, access to adequate fresh water and nutition, services, transport, education and employment. Health public policy aims to maximise the benefit of all policies on the health of populations.
This is important because many of the factors that affect health and wellebing lay beyond the reach of health services and health policies.
Proportional Contribution to Premature Death
Source: Schroeder SA (2007) We Can Do Better: Improving the health of the American people, New England Journal of Medicine, 357(12): 1221-1228. doi:10.1056/NEJMsa073350
Health impact assessment (HIA) is a practical tool that can shift the rhetoric of healthy public policy into action. Instead of alluding to the interrelatedness of health and other sectors, HIA provides a transparent process for making these relationships clear.
Further Information
Reports
- Ståhl T, Wismar M, Ollila E, Lahtinen E, Leppo K (Eds.) (2006) Health in All Policies: Prospects and potentials, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Helsinki. Access PDF
- Blau J, Ernst K, Wismar M, Baro F, Gabrijelcic Blenkus M, von Bremen K, et al. (2006) The Use of Health Impact Assessment Across Europe in Health in All Policies: Prospects and potentials (Eds Ståhl T, Wismar M, et al.), Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Helsinki, 209-230. Access PDF
- Wismar M, Blau J, Ernst K, Elliott E, Golby A, van Herten L, et al. (2006)
Implementing and Institutionalizing Health Impact Assessment in Europe in Health in All Policies: Prospects and potentials (Eds Ståhl T, Wismar M, et al.), Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Helsinki, 231-252. Access PDF - Kemm J (2006) Health Impact Assessment and Health in All Policies in Health in All Policies: Prospects and potentials (Eds Ståhl T, Wismar M, et al.), Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Helsinki, 189-208. Access PDF
Articles
- Nilunger Mannheimer L, Lehto J, Östlin P (2007) Window of Opportunity for Intersectoral Health Policy in Sweden: Open, half-open or half-shut?, Health Promotion International, 22(4): 307-315. doi:10.1093/heapro/dam028
- Kemm J (2001) Health Impact Assessment: A tool for healthy public policy, Health Promotion International, 16(1): 79-85.
