scholarly journals Impact assessment of the public health product tax in Hungary

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Zámbó ◽  
M Bakacs ◽  
É Illés ◽  
A Varga ◽  
E Sarkadi Nagy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Health Product ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Many countries apply fiscal policies to promote healthy diets to reduce the risk factors of NCDs. In 2011, a public health product tax (PHPT) was introduced in Hungary, taxing non-staple food products that carry proven health risks when consumed. The objectives of PHPT were to promote healthier eating habits by increasing the availability of healthy choices; to encourage reformulation; and to increase revenues for public health. With the purpose of evaluating the social and economic effects of PHPT, impact assessments (IAs) were conducted in 2012, 2014, and in 2018. The IA in 2018 was conducted within the framework of an EU-cofunded development project. To measure the awareness of the population on the law; to assess the population's attitude towards PHPT; to map the consumption patterns and to examine the major factors influencing food choices were fundamental parts of the IAs. We aim to present the findings of the latest IA and compare them to the results of the previous studies. Population surveys with questionnaires including the same questions were applied in the three assessments, hence changes during the 6 years could be detected. A sample of the adult population was involved in form of personal interviews in each IA. Based on the results, the awareness of PHPT was less (66%) in 2018 than in 2012 (72%). The adult population's consumption of the taxed products increased in all categories between 2012 and 2018 (except for salty condiments). Sociodemographic factors and awareness of the law correlated with the consumption of certain PHPT products. Taste was the primary determinant of food choice both in 2012 and 2018. The role of the price and the energy content in food choices were decreased significantly by 2018. A higher proportion of people identified the aims of PHPT correctly and agreed with them in 2018. The results draw attention to the importance of further interventions and the need of targeted health communication. Key messages The impact of the PHPT should continue to be monitored and evaluated. To achieve the aims of PHPT in the long term, it is needed to use more effective health communication, furthermore harmonized intersectoral actions should be also implied to promote healthy diet.

scholarly journals The influence of risk perceptions on close contact frequency during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Wambua ◽  
Lisa Hermans ◽  
Pietro Coletti ◽  
Frederik Verelst ◽  
Lander Willem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Perceived Severity ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
Contact Behaviour ◽  
Contact Frequency ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Human behaviour is known to be crucial in the propagation of infectious diseases through respiratory or close-contact routes like the current SARS-CoV-2 virus. Intervention measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus mainly aim at limiting the number of close contacts, until vaccine roll-out is complete. Our main objective was to assess the relationships between SARS-CoV-2 perceptions and social contact behaviour in Belgium. Understanding these relationships is crucial to maximize interventions' effectiveness, e.g. by tailoring public health communication campaigns. In this study, we surveyed a representative sample of adults in Belgium in two longitudinal surveys (8 waves of survey 1 in April 2020 to August 2020, and 11 waves of survey 2 in November 2020 to April 2021). Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to analyse the two surveys. Participants with low and neutral perceptions on perceived severity made a significantly higher number of social contacts as compared to participants with high levels of perceived severity after controlling for other variables. Furthermore, participants with higher levels of perceived effectiveness of measures and perceived adherence to measures made fewer contacts. However, the differences were small. Our results highlight the key role of perceived severity on social contact behaviour during a pandemic. Nevertheless, additional research is required to investigate the impact of public health communication on severity of COVID-19 in terms of changes in social contact behaviour.

Regulation

2020 ◽  
pp. 372-381
Author(s):  
Lawrence Gostin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
International Law ◽  
Legal Change ◽  
The Face ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Impact

The objectives of this chapter are to help you understand: the impact of legislation, regulations, and litigation on the public’s health; the powers, duties, and restraints imposed by the law on public health officials; the potential of legal change to improve the public’s health; the role of international law and institutions in securing public health in the face of increasing globalization.

scholarly journals Spreading (Dis)Trust: Covid-19 Misinformation and Government Intervention in Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 458-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Lovari
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
General State ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
Strategic Role ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

The commentary focuses on the spread of Covid-19 misinformation in Italy, highlighting the dynamics that have impacted on its pandemic communication. Italy has recently been affected by a progressive erosion of trust in public institutions and a general state of information crisis regarding matters of health and science. In this context, the politicization of health issues and a growing use of social media to confront the Coronavirus “infodemic” have led the Italian Ministry of Health to play a strategic role in using its official Facebook page to mitigate the spread of misinformation and to offer updates to online publics. Despite this prompt intervention, which increased the visibility and reliability of public health communication, coordinated efforts involving different institutions, media and digital platform companies still seem necessary to reduce the impact of misinformation, as using a multichannel strategy helps avoid increasing social and technological disparities at a time of crisis.

scholarly journals Public Health Communication in France during the Spanish Flu and the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Experts

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Klara Dankova
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Technical Expertise ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Spread ◽  
Spanish Flu ◽  
Current Context ◽  
The Impact

In times of crisis, a government’s communication with the public is fundamental, as one of the government’s main tasks is to provide critical information to protect the population. In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health communication has been paramount because of the elevated risk of contagion. Moreover, in public health communication, experts play a pivotal role by providing reliable information on the basis of their technical expertise. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is often compared to that of the Spanish flu, a pandemic occurring in 1918-1919, whose global spread decimated tens of millions of people. This contribution aims to assess the role of experts in the two crises by highlighting the differences in France’s public health communication during the two events. Assuming that the objectives of public health communication during the two pandemics were more or less identical, i.e. to prevent the spread of disease and inform and protect the public, the paper inquires about the means used to achieve them, focusing on the contribution of experts. The main characteristics of public health communication during the Spanish flu will be investigated by analysing articles published in the period between 1918 and 1919 in two French newspapers Le Matin and Le Petit Parisien. In terms of the current COVID-19 pandemic, this paper will probe articles published since December 2019 in the newspaper Le Monde.

The influence of menu labelling on food choices among children and adolescents: a systematic review of the literature

2016 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn Sacco ◽  
Heather G Lillico ◽  
Emily Chen ◽  
Erin Hobin
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Real World ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Eating Behaviours ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Childhood obesity is a serious public health concern internationally, and population-level interventions are needed to support healthy food choices. Existing reviews of menu labelling have focused predominantly on adults. However, childhood and adolescence are distinct periods of development during which longer term eating behaviours and food preferences are established. Although some studies have examined the effect of menu labelling among children and adolescents, no reviews have synthesised this evidence. Objective: To assess whether menu labelling influences the amount of calories ordered by children and adolescents (or parents on behalf of youth) in food outlets including restaurants and cafeterias. Methods: Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SocINDEX and Embase databases. Eleven relevant studies were identified from an initial search yielding 1,682 results. Studies were assessed using a validated quality assessment tool. Results: Examinations of hypothetical food purchases in artificial environments suggest that menu labelling may be efficacious in reducing calories purchased for or by children and adolescents. Real-world studies are less supportive, although school-based studies were generally positive. It is unclear whether contextual or interpretive menu-labelling formats are more effective compared to numeric calorie information alone. Conclusion: Evidence supporting the impact of menu labelling on lowering the energy content of restaurant and cafeteria food choices made for or by children or adolescents is limited. There remains a need for high-quality studies conducted in real-world settings.

scholarly journals Parental Food Choices and Engagement in Raising Children’s Awareness of Sustainable Behaviors in Urban Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3225
Author(s):  
Ewa Halicka ◽  
Joanna Kaczorowska ◽  
Krystyna Rejman ◽  
Agata Szczebyło
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Nutrition Policies ◽  
Consumption Practices ◽  
The Impact

Promoting sustainable food consumption patterns and understanding factors driving environmentally-friendly food choices is one of the challenges of public health nutrition policies in the 2020s and crucial for the future wellbeing of humans, food systems and the planet as a whole. To assess the impact of sustainability issues on the behaviors of parents living with young school-aged children in Poland a CAWI survey of 1035 adults in urban areas was conducted. A clustering procedure revealed that two of the identified clusters (73% of the sample) rated sustainability factors as important when purchasing food for children but only one of these clusters (29% of the sample) was actively engaged in raising their child’s awareness about sustainable behaviors. The third cluster (27% of the sample) had no intentions to teach their children about food sustainability because of lack of time or distrust in these topics. More than 80% of the sample agreed that parents share a responsibility in teaching children about the links between food, health and environment. Principles of healthy and sustainable diets should be incorporated into public health programmes to empower family members to engage in raising their children’s awareness and adopt more healthy and environmentally-friendly food consumption practices.

scholarly journals 28.I. Workshop: Communication in public health: neglected but essential

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Common View ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
The Public ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Communication Modalities ◽  
Effective Public Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The realization that not only research but also effective communication is essential to promoting and protecting the health of the public was a fundamental milestone in the emerging discipline of public health communication. Although we are beginning to talk more and more about health communication, it is, in the common view, still too often identified as a soft skill of the individual professional, and therefore as a minor competence in public health. Fortunately, many of today's public health leaders realize that promoting health and protecting the public require effective public health communication - as emerged clearly during EUPHA2019 conference in Marseille. The essential components of the communication process (channel, source, receiver, and message) are dynamic and change continuously in public health: emergencies follow one another rapidly, and communication channels evolve very quickly in the digital era. The impact, trust, and authority of traditional media are in decline. People are also willing to actively participate and share their views and information, including on health issues, through social networks. This explains the emergence of the new social media (blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok) as a central space for communicating and re-connecting with the public. Websites were mentioned as widely used to convey health messages, like ongoing health campaigns addressed to different groups (e.g. campaign on seasonal influenza vaccination) or during crisis communication (e.g. absolutely up to date is the example of coronavirus disease 2019). This workshop aims to explore the importance of appropriate communication by analysing practical examples of the diversity of communication modalities, language, target audiences and objectives. Furthermore, public health communication, to be effective, requires an integrated approach to engage the relevant stakeholders such as research institutes, health professionals, partner organisations (e.g. private institutions), policymakers, associations (e.g. population representatives, patients' associations, CSOs/NGOs, citizens associations protecting the poor) and individuals. The use of health communication principles is fundamental at all levels, from government organizations and agencies at central and sub-national level to individuals and citizens: public health experts need to advocate policymakers and all stakeholders, who interact with each other determine the health system and its governance and are involved in the decision-making process, to empower the population, that never more than now require to be the principal actor in their own health decision. Key messages Public health communication is an essential component of any effective public health strategy and initiative, yet it is often neglected and under-resourced. Communication in public health is multifaceted: it is required in a diverse range of scenarios; it may target different population groups and engage various institutions and experts.

scholarly journals The Impact Of Oral Health On Psychological Distress Among Older Adults In California

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 868-868
Author(s):  
Esmeralda Melgoza ◽  
Jennifer Archuleta ◽  
Emma Tran ◽  
Gabino Abarca ◽  
Anna Fiastro
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Performance Limits ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Annual Survey ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In California, the population of adults ages 65 and older is projected to increase from 11% in 2010 to 19% in 2030. The aging of the population requires modifications in public health to ensure that people are not only living longer, but also healthier lives. Oral health is an important, but often overlooked factor that affects the overall health of older adults. Poor oral health increases the risk of physical comorbidities, decreases chewing performance, limits food choices, and exacerbates weight loss. Furthermore, poor oral health disrupts social health via decreases in verbal communication and facial expressions, such as smiling. This study examines the effects of oral health, assessed by tooth condition, on psychological distress among adults ages 65 and older in California. The study uses the 2019 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), an annual survey of a representative sample of the state’s residential, noninstitutionalized population. Logistic regression models are used to determine the association between tooth condition on psychological distress controlling for gender, race, and elderly poverty index. Worsening tooth condition increases the odds of having psychological distress with lower odds among individuals 85+, and higher odds among women, and non-Hispanic whites compared to Hispanics. Public health programs and interventions are required in California to prevent and mitigate the impacts of poor oral health on psychological distress among the increasing and diverse older adult population.

Regulation

2013 ◽  
pp. 328-336
Author(s):  
Lawrence Gostin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
International Law ◽  
Legal Change ◽  
The Face ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Impact

The objectives of this chapter are to help you understand the impact of legislation, regulations, and litigation on the public’s health, the powers, duties, and restraints imposed by the law on public health officials, the potential of legal change to improve the public’s health, andthe role of international law in securing public health in the face of increasing globalization.

Coronavirus and the Law in Europe

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
World Health ◽  
Collaborative Effort ◽  
Legal Questions ◽  
The World ◽  
The Law ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

On 30 January 2020, in response to the globalisation of COVID-19, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The deadly outbreak has caused unprecedented disruption to travel and trade and is raising pressing legal questions across all disciplines, which this book attempts to address. <br><br>The aims of this book are twofold. First, it is intended to serve as a 'toolbox' for domestic and European judges, who are now dealing with the interpretation of COVID-19-related legislation and administrative measures, as well as the disruption the pandemic has caused to society and fundamental rights. Second, it aims to assist businesses and citizens who wish to be informed about the implications of the virus in the existence, performance and enforcement of their contracts. <br><br><i>Coronavirus and the Law in Europe</i> is probably the largest academic publication on the impact of pandemics on the law. This academic endeavour is a joint, collaborative effort to structure the recent and ongoing legal developments into a coherent and pan-European overview on coronavirus and the law. It covers practically all European countries and legal disciplines and comprises contributions from more than 80 highly reputed European academics and practitioners.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document