scholarly journals 24.I. Workshop: Maximize impacts of research on public health policies: examples from the HBSC international study

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Public Health Policies

Abstract Adolescence is a crucial and challenging transition between childhood and adulthood with its own specificities. A time when protective health behaviours and healthy lifestyles can be valued and adopted, or criticized and rejected, depending on complex interactions between contextual and individual factors. Even if overall adolescence can be seen as the period where individuals are the healthiest and the lowest users of health care. However, integration of young people's health in all policies and research agendas should remain of upmost importance, with a strong emphasis given to reducing social and health inequalities and inequities, in a broad public health perspective. In any case, public health policies targeting young people cannot be fully relevant and efficient if they do not rely on quality data collected among them, taking their voices into account as much as possible. Contrasted national examples will be shared to illustrate the benefits of linking scientific evidence to stakeholders’ expectations, policy relevance, in a public health perspective. Since 1982 the Health behaviour in School-aged children (HBSC) survey collects data among 11, 13- and 15-year-old students, in a growing number of mostly European countries (50 in 2020), under the auspices of WHO. Every 4 years, through anonymous self-completed questionnaires filled in in class, using shared validated instruments and methods, new data is collected. This workshop aims at sharing contrasted national case studies (different countries -Ireland, France, Portugal, Poland, Lebanon- & different perspectives and topics: nutrition, tobacco-use, child participation, partnership) illustrating how data, collected among school-children can be used to inform and improve policies targeted at adolescents in the field of health, health behaviours well-being and their determinants, in partnership with different bodies and stakeholders. All presentations will rely on data collected through the HBSC survey, whose longevity, scope, expertise & reputation are unique in the field of adolescent health. Presenters belong to teams that have a longstanding experience of research on adolescents and in conducting the HBSC survey and share a strong interest in promoting the improvement of the health and well-being of the adolescents in their country, through interacting with various stakeholders including young people, teachers, principals, parents and policy makers. The presentations and debates will start from a common ground (HBSC), allowing for more time to be devoted on how to maximize the impact of research on Public health policies and the involvement of stakeholders in data valorization. Key messages Research findings on adolescents’ health and health behaviour can be shared with and used by stakeholders and be an asset for public health policies targeting young people. National case studies different in scopes & ambitions but relying on the same international project can be used to debate with other teams & countries around improving links between research & policy.

scholarly journals Skills building seminar: How can data on adolescents’ health behavior contribute to public health policies? Lessons from HBSC

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Research And Policy

Abstract Adolescents (10-19) are usually thought of as rather healthy and as low users of health care compared with other age groups. Nevertheless, adolescence is a crucial and challenging transitional journey towards adult life, a time when protective health behaviours and the value of a healthy lifestyle can be adopted, or not, depending on complex interactions between determinants and individual factors. Integration of young people’s health in all policies and research agendas is crucial, beyond the health sector, and keeping in mind the needs to reduce health inequalities and to ensure equitable access to services, in a broad Public health perspective. However, Public health policies targeting young people cannot be fully relevant and efficient if they do not rely on quality data collected among young people, on their health and their health behaviours. Under the auspices of WHO, the Health behaviour in School-aged children (HBSC) survey collects data among 11-13 and 15 years-old students since 1982, in a growing number of mostly European countries, every 4 years, through anonymous self-completed questionnaires filled in in class, using shared validated instruments and methods. Our workshop aims at showing how data collected among adolescents, by improving our understanding of their health and health behaviours as well as their determinants and settings, can be used to inform and improve policies at national level. HBSC will be used as an exemple, because of its longevity, breadth, expertise, reputation and uniqueness in the field of adolescent health. Five contrasted experiences will be presented, illustrating the relevance of linking scientific evidence and policy relevance in a Public health perspective. They have been chosen to offer various perspectives in terms of countries (Ireland, Luxembourg, Israel, UK), topics (well-being, suicide, substance-use, school-health), and levels of links between research and policy. All presenters are skilled researchers, have a longstanding experience of conducting the HBSC survey and they share a strong interest in linking with policy makers in advocating the improvement of the health and well-being of the adolescents in their country. Because they all work on the same population (adolescents), and mainly work on the same survey (HBSC), the presentations and debates will start from a common ground, saving space and time to really illustrate how health behaviour data can inform Public health policies. The presenters should give contrasted perspectives, without denying their failures and difficulties, to engage with the audience for a wider discussion, towards a better partnership between research and policy. Key messages There are national examples that illustrate that research on adolescents’ health behaviour can inform Public health policy targeted at this specific population and improve its health and well-being. Networking and exchanging on failures and success through case studies can provide perspectives to other teams and countries on how to better build the link between researchers and policy makers.

scholarly journals A Review of Cases of Marijuana and Violence

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1578
Author(s):  
Norman S. Miller ◽  
Redon Ipeku ◽  
Thersilla Oberbarnscheidt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
The United States ◽  
Personality Change ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Loss Of Contact

Marijuana is the most consumed illicit drug in the world, with over 192 million users. Due to the current legalization push of marijuana in the United States, there has been a lack of oversight regarding its public health policies, as marijuana advocates downplay the drug’s negative effects. This paper’s approach is from a public health perspective, focusing specifically on the cases of violence amongst some marijuana users. Here, we present 14 cases of violence with chronic marijuana users that highlight reoccurring consequences of: marijuana induced paranoia (exaggerated, unfounded distrust) and marijuana induced psychosis (radical personality change, loss of contact with reality). When individuals suffering from pre-existing medical conditions use marijuana in an attempt to alleviate their symptoms, ultimately this worsens their conditions over time. Although marijuana effects depend on the individual’s endocannabinoid receptors (which control behavioral functions, like aggression) and the potency level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the drug, scientifically documented links between certain marijuana users and violence do exist. Wider public awareness of the risks and side effects of marijuana, as well as a more prudent health policy, and government agency monitoring of the drug’s composition, creation, and distribution, are needed and recommended.

Building a Social Justice Narrative for Public Health

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 901-904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Wallack
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Social ◽  
Collective Processes

Public health is the place where science, policy, politics, and activism converge. Each public health issue is a snapshot where we can see the unfolding of the collective processes that define who we are, what we believe, and what we value as a society. Our professional strength is our commitment to community and social justice values, but we are challenged to effectively communicate these values in an individualistic, market-dominated society. It is this language of community, and the values it represents, that must be the core of the narrative animating a more just and healthier society. A public health perspective characterized by social justice argues that public health problems are primarily socially generated and can be predicted based on the level of injustice and inequality in a society. Thus, the solutions to such problems must be through progressive social and public health policies and are best understood as a collective responsibility shared across the various levels of society. When we can develop a narrative that effectively communicates the social justice values that are the foundation of this perspective, ours will be a society that better understands the meaning of public health and responds more appropriately to its challenges. We will then be collectively more effective in better translating our values into caring, and more effective, public policy. This will not be easy, but it will be necessary.

scholarly journals Focusing illusion in satisfaction with life among college students living in Brazil

2013 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 430-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley Mendes-da-Silva ◽  
Luciana Massaro Onusic ◽  
Jill M. Norvilitis ◽  
Gilnei L. Moura
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Two Cities ◽  
Focusing Illusion

Literature shows that there are significant associations between health and happiness. Various countries are considering, contemplating or formally incorporating the happiness variable into their public health policies. Moreover, the private sector has shown interest in the topic. Based on that This article examines the biases in the perception of satisfaction with life among young adults in two Brazilian cities. The study explores the associations between aspects of life and perception of happiness because public policies associated with happiness require an improved understanding of the subjectivity of the sense of well-being. A survey conducted among 368 college students enabled analysis through Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) and linear regression. The results suggest that, although there were no significant differences in general satisfaction with life between the two cities, there were indications of focusing illusion in the perception of happiness caused by expectations arising from the feeling of personal insecurity in a metropolis.

scholarly journals Public Health, Ethics, and Human Rights: A Tribute to the Late Jonathan Mann

2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence O. Gostin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Health Ethics ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Human Rights Violations ◽  
Ethical Values ◽  
Health And Human Rights ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Health Ethics

The late Jonathan Mann famously theorized that public health, ethics, and human rights are complementary fields motivated by the paramount value of human well-being. He felt that people could not be healthy if governments did not respect their rights and dignity as well as engage in health policies guided by sound ethical values. Nor could people have their rights and dignity if they were not healthy. Mann and his colleagues argued that public health and human rights are integrally connected: Human rights violations adversely affect the community's health, coercive public health policies violate human rights, and advancement of human rights and public health reinforce one another. Despite the deep traditions in public health, ethics, and human rights, they have rarely cross-fertilized—although there exists an important emerging literature. For the most part, each of these fields has adopted its own terminology and forms of reasoning. Consequently, Mann advocated the creation of a code of public health ethics and the adoption of a vocabulary or taxonomy of “dignity violation”.

scholarly journals Biopolitics and Pain: Approximations between Foucault and Lacanian Psychoanalysis

Psico-USF ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-196
Author(s):  
Carla Oliveira Fernandes ◽  
Cláudio Melo ◽  
Vera Lopes Besset ◽  
Pedro Paulo Bicalho
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Singular Solutions ◽  
Lacanian Psychoanalysis ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Psychoanalytic Approach ◽  
Medical Domain

Abstract The technological and scientific advances have brought, in the context of public health policies, a relentless pursuit of the notion of well-being and the elimination of pain, a feeling which was not always conceived as an evil to be eradicated. Foucault, through the concept of biopolitics, indicated that actions from the medical domain were incorporated by the State in order to control the bodies, with the support of medicalization. Starting from a psychoanalytic approach - in which it is assumed that pain can fulfill a role for man as a speaking animal - we conclude that in cases of chronic pain, it is critical, before curing it, to understand its purpose and to seek singular solutions.

Non-stigmatising alternatives to anti-obesity public health messages: Consequences for health behaviour and well-being

2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532199970
Author(s):  
Joanne A Rathbone ◽  
Tegan Cruwys ◽  
Jolanda Jetten
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Messages ◽  
Total N ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Public Health Messages ◽  
Size Acceptance

This project investigated how alternative non-stigmatising public health messages influence people’s health behaviours and well-being, relative to traditional stigmatising weight-loss messages. We conducted three experimental studies (total N = 1281) that compared traditional weight-loss messages to weight-neutral messages (Study 1), weight-inclusive messages (Study 2) and size acceptance messages (Study 3). Results revealed that public health messages have differential effects on health behaviours and well-being, depending on the audience’s BMI or perceived weight. However, campaigns that challenge weight stigma and promote body positivity have positive effects on some psychological indicators of health and well-being for people of all body sizes.

scholarly journals Population simulations of COVID-19 outbreaks provide tools for risk assessment and continuity planning

JAMIA Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Peng ◽  
Rowland W Pettit ◽  
Christopher I Amos
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Robustness Analysis ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Command Line ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Continuity Planning ◽  
Quantitative Estimates ◽  
Community Infection

Abstract Objectives We developed COVID-19 Outbreak Simulator (https://ictr.github.io/covid19-outbreak-simulator/) to quantitatively estimate the effectiveness of preventative and interventive measures to prevent and battle COVID-19 outbreaks for specific populations. Materials and methods Our simulator simulates the entire course of infection and transmission of the virus among individuals in heterogeneous populations, subject to operations and influences, such as quarantine, testing, social distancing, and community infection. It provides command-line and Jupyter notebook interfaces and a plugin system for user-defined operations. Results The simulator provides quantitative estimates for COVID-19 outbreaks in a variety of scenarios and assists the development of public health policies, risk-reduction operations, and emergency response plans. Discussion Our simulator is powerful, flexible, and customizable, although successful applications require realistic estimation and robustness analysis of population-specific parameters. Conclusion Risk assessment and continuity planning for COVID-19 outbreaks are crucial for the continued operation of many organizations. Our simulator will be continuously expanded to meet this need.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document