Keeping up with the times: how national public health and governmental organizations communicate about cannabis on Twitter

Abstract Background Public health and governmental organizations are expected to provide guidance to the public on emerging health issues in accessible formats. It is, therefore, important to examine how such organizations are discussing cannabis online and the information that is being provided to the public about this increasingly legal and available substance. Methods This paper presents a concise thematic analysis of both the volume and content of cannabis-related health information from selected (n = 13) national-level public health and governmental organizations in Canada and the U.S. on Twitter. Results There were eight themes identified in Tweets including 1) health-related topics; 2) legalization and legislation; 3) research on cannabis; 4) special populations; 5) driving and cannabis; 6) population issues; 7) medical cannabis, and 8) public health issues. The majority of cannabis-related Tweets from the organizations studied came from relatively few organizations and there were substantial differences between the topics covered by U.S. and Canadian organizations. The organizations studied provided limited information regarding how to use cannabis in ways that will minimize health-related harms. Conclusions Authoritative organizations that deal with public health may consider designing timely social media communications with emerging cannabis-related information, to benefit a general public otherwise exposed to primarily pro-cannabis content on Twitter.

Download Full-text

Skills building seminar: Develop collaborative tools among public health societies to mutually reinforce their interventions

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.183 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

National Level ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mutual Support ◽

Public Authorities ◽

The Public ◽

Collaborative Tools ◽

Country Level ◽

National Public Health ◽

The Impact

Abstract National public health societies face specific national challenges but also common challenges in several countries but in specific national contexts. At EPH2018, a first workshop entitled ‘ Can national public health societies work together for mutual support on their daily challenges? “ had allowed the national public health societies represented to highlight their interest and their ability to work together. Among the different lines of work identified, one of them was particularly emphasized: ‘How to make allies and influence health policies?’. This line of work brings different reflections: When adopt postures of conflict and / or cooperation with the public authorities? How to choose to argue from evidence based public health and / or to build and tell simple and consistent stories? What are the situations where we risk going from ‘collaborating with’ actors to’being manipulated by’ actors? What are the conditions for forming effective alliances in public health? Several topics have been identified as common issues facing the different national public health societies: migration and health, alcohol, food and information of public, physical activities and active mobility, environmental pollution. As part of this workshop we want to share the feedback of experiences presented by several national public health companies on common public health issues to learn lessons to strengthen their actions. The feedback presented will help identify and construct shared analysis frameworks, to identify the conditions favoring the influence of national public health societies. The development of these common tools will strengthen their interventions at a national level and enhance their collective effectiveness at the European level. EUPHA is the relevant framework for inscribing this approach in time and space. Key messages Eupha is the ideal place to meet other public health companies and find opportunities to develop practical transnational collaborations for a better impact of public health at the national level. The sharing of experience on common topics will strengthen the influence of the SNSPs and the impact of their actions at the country level.

Download Full-text

Analysis of corporate political activity strategies of the food industry: evidence from France

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980018001763 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (18) ◽

pp. 3407-3421 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Melissa Mialon ◽

Jonathan Mialon

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Food Industry ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Political Activity ◽

Health Issues ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

The Public ◽

Health Related ◽

Different Sources

AbstractObjectiveTo identify the corporate political activity (CPA) of major food industry actors in France.DesignWe followed an approach based on information available in the public domain. Different sources of information, freely accessible to the public, were monitored.Setting/SubjectsData were collected and analysed between March and August 2015. Five actors were selected: ANIA (Association Nationale des Industries Agroalimentaires/National Association of Agribusiness Industries); Coca-Cola; McDonald’s; Nestlé; and Carrefour.ResultsOur analysis shows that the main practices used by Coca-Cola and McDonald’s were the framing of diet and public health issues in ways favourable to the company, and their involvement in the community. ANIA primarily used the ‘information and messaging’ strategy (e.g. by promoting deregulation and shaping the evidence base on diet- and public health-related issues), as well as the ‘policy substitution’ strategy. Nestlé framed diet and public health issues, and shaped the evidence base on diet- and public health-related issues. Carrefour particularly sought involvement in the community.ConclusionsWe found that, in 2015, the food industry in France was using CPA practices that were also used by other industries in the past, such as the tobacco and alcohol industries. Because most, if not all, of these practices proved detrimental to public health when used by the tobacco industry, we propose that the precautionary principle should guide decisions when engaging or interacting with the food industry.

Download Full-text

Towards European Modern Societies with Health Systems That Are Able to Add More Years to Life, But Also to Add More Life to Years

Effective Methods for Modern Healthcare Service Quality and Evaluation - Advances in Medical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9961-8.ch010 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 228-255

Author(s):

Androutsou Lorena ◽

Androutsou Foulvia

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Systems ◽

Healthcare Access ◽

National Level ◽

World Population ◽

Health Issues ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Public Health Policies ◽

The Public ◽

European Public

The political context in Europe is changing including health. Among the priorities in seeking to influence the future of healthcare is a renewed attachment to health for all, health in all policies and a better coordination between social and health policy. Health issues are by definition international, and Europe has a duty to extend solidarity to the wider world population, in strategy and in delivery. Ensuring equitable access to high-quality healthcare constitutes a key challenge for health systems throughout Europe. The chapter will emphasise the importance of European public health policies. The chapter will offer a real opportunity to address public health areas and values such as right to access to healthcare into the detailed mechanisms of European policy. The chapter will form a tool for health leaders, to enrich their knowledge in the public health spectrum from a European perspective, to support, promote and improve healthcare access at a national level.

Download Full-text

Towards European Modern Societies with Health Systems That Are Able to Add More Years to Life, But Also to Add More Life to Years

Public Health and Welfare ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-1674-3.ch064 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 1358-1378

Author(s):

Androutsou Lorena ◽

Androutsou Foulvia

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Systems ◽

Healthcare Access ◽

National Level ◽

World Population ◽

Health Issues ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Public Health Policies ◽

The Public ◽

European Public

Download Full-text

New and emerging environmental hazards and situations

10.1093/med/9780198745471.003.0027 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Alec Dobney ◽

Greg Hodgson

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Health Science ◽

Health Practitioner ◽

Health Issues ◽

The Public ◽

Environmental Public Health ◽

Public Health Professionals ◽

Technological Advances ◽

Health Related

Environmental public health scientists and health protection practitioners are constantly challenged to respond to new or poorly understood hazards. Practitioners might also be required to address well-characterized hazards that have either increased in magnitude or re-emerged in different situations. Developing technological advances and new and emerging industrial processes (such as fracking, nanotechnology, shale gas, waste fires) can raise difficult questions for the public health practitioner, especially where research and health-related evidence is lacking. In these cases, public health science has a key role in undertaking and communicating risks and in providing the most accurate available scientific evidence and public health advice. The field of environmental public health is crowded with complex problems demanding our attention. It is impossible to devote sufficient clinical, research, and advocacy energies to all of these problems at once. Clinicians, public health professionals, and environmental public health scientists have to choose which health issues take priority.

Download Full-text

Trend of Parental Refusal or Delay of Childhood Vaccinations

MacEwan University Student eJournal ◽

10.31542/j.muse.738 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Meagan Marie Daoust

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Healthcare System ◽

Educational Context ◽

Health Consequences ◽

Missed Opportunities ◽

The Public ◽

Health Related ◽

Parental Refusal

The healthcare trend of parental refusal or delay of childhood vaccinations will be investigated through a complex Cynefin Framework component in an economic and educational context, allowing patterns to emerge that suggest recommendations of change for the RN role and healthcare system. As a major contributing factor adding complexity to this trend, social media is heavily used for health related knowledge, making it is difficult to determine which information is most trustworthy. Missed opportunities for immunization can result, leading to economic and health consequences for the healthcare system and population. Through analysis of the powerful impact social media has on this evolving trend and public health, an upstream recommendation for RNs to respond with is to utilize reliable social media to the parents’ advantage within practice. The healthcare system should focus on incorporating vaccine-related education into existing programs and classes offered to parents, and implementing new vaccine classes for the public.

Download Full-text

Green Deal as a Climate Changes Dam on the Road to Health

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.295 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

M Jevtic ◽

C Bouland

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Climate Change ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Clinical Medicine ◽

Health Sector ◽

The Public ◽

The Road ◽

National Public Health ◽

On The Road ◽

The Impact

Abstract Public health professionals (PHP) have a dual task in climate change. They should persuade their colleagues in clinical medicine of the importance of all the issues covered by the GD. The fact that the health sector contributes to the overall emissions of 4.4% speaks to the lack of awareness within the health sector itself. The issue of providing adequate infrastructure for the health sector is essential. Strengthening the opportunities and development of the circular economy within healthcare is more than just a current issue. The second task of PHP is targeting the broader population. The public health mission is being implemented, inter alia, through numerous activities related to environmental monitoring and assessment of the impact on health. GD should be a roadmap for priorities and actions in public health, bearing in mind: an ambitious goal of climate neutrality, an insistence on clean, affordable and safe energy, a strategy for a clean and circular economy. GD provides a framework for the development of sustainable and smart transport, the development of green agriculture and policies from field to table. It also insists on biodiversity conservation and protection actions. The pursuit of zero pollution and an environment free of toxic chemicals, as well as incorporating sustainability into all policies, is also an indispensable part of GD. GD represents a leadership step in the global framework towards a healthier future and comprises all the non-EU members as well. The public health sector should consider the GD as an argument for achieving goals at national levels, and align national public health policies with the goals of this document. There is a need for stronger advocacy of health and public-health interests along with incorporating sustainability into all policies. Achieving goals requires the education process for healthcare professionals covering all of topics of climate change, energy and air pollution to a much greater extent than before.

Download Full-text

Capacity building in the public health field in the Tunisian medical faculties

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1192 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

M Coman ◽

O Oltean ◽

M Palianopoulou ◽

D Plancikova ◽

C Zedini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Health Knowledge ◽

National Level ◽

Training Programme ◽

Local Health ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Training ◽

Medical Faculties ◽

Health Field

Abstract Over the past years, Tunisia has experienced important reforms in the field of public health. The Tunisian medical faculties (Universities of Sfax, Tunis el Manar, Sousse and Monastir) play a key role in this endeavor by training public health professionals who can contribute to the modernization of the health system. Funded by the EC through Erasmus+ programme, the CONFIDE project (coordinated by Babes-Bolyai University, having as EU partners the Universities of Southern Denmark and Trnava, and the above mentioned Tunisian universities) has established the Research into Policy training programme by strengthening their capacity to provide public health training. The Research into Policy training programme has been delivered by the Centres for Evidence into Health Policy (C4EHPs) established within the Tunisian partner universities for the needs of CONFIDE. The training programme was implemented in four steps: (1) train the trainer sessions - the European experts trained 18 Tunisian trainers; (2) shadowing sessions - the trainers participated in shadowing sessions in the European partner institutions; (3) training delivery - the CONFIDE trainers, assisted by the European experts, delivered the training to an interdisciplinary group of 25 students and professionals; (4) internships - the students participated in internships in local health institutions. Three modules have been built within the Research into Policy training programme: Public health research, Health promotion policies and Evidence based public health policy. They contributed to increasing the public health knowledge and skills of the professionals trained. The training programme was well received by the Tunisian universities and the material developed so far during the project was adapted to the Tunisian context in the third step of implementation. On the long term, the project is expected to have an impact at the national level and produce updates at curricula level in the Tunisian medical faculties. Key messages Research into Policy training programme developed by the EC partners and culturally adapted by the Tunisian partners to the Tunisian public health context. Research into Policy training is a well-received tool for the high quality learning process in the public health field in Tunisian medical faculties.

Download Full-text

A Failure of Political Communication Not a Failure of Bureaucracy: The Danger of Presidential Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The American Review of Public Administration ◽

10.1177/0275074020941734 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 50 (6-7) ◽

pp. 614-620 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

William Hatcher

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Political Communication ◽

Political Polarization ◽

Medical Procedures ◽

The Novel ◽

Health Issues ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Health Related ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Incorrect Information

President Trump’s communications during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic violate principles of public health, such as practicing transparency and deferring to medical experts. Moreover, the president’s communications are dangerous and misleading, and his lack of leadership during the crisis limits the nation’s response to the problem, increases political polarization around public health issues of social distancing, and spreads incorrect information about health-related policies and medical procedures. To correct the dangerous path that the nation is on, the administration needs to adopt a more expert-centered approach to the crisis, and President Trump needs to practice compassion, empathy, and transparency in his communications.

Download Full-text

The therapeutic journey of families of children with respiratory diseases in the public health service

Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/s0104-11692012000300005 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 453-461 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Beatriz Rosana Gonçalves de Oliveira ◽

Neusa Collet ◽

Débora Falleiros de Mello ◽

Regina Aparecida Garcia de Lima

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Services ◽

Respiratory Diseases ◽

Health Issues ◽

Public Health Services ◽

The Public ◽

Primary Health ◽

Therapeutic Encounters ◽

Access To Medical Care

This study's purpose was to identify the therapeutic journey of families seeking health care for their children with respiratory diseases. This qualitative study had the participation of parents of children younger than five years old who were hospitalized with respiratory diseases. Path mapping was used as an instrument to collect data, which was analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that families sought the health services as soon as they perceived symptoms and had access to medical care, however such care was not decisive in resolving their health issues. Even though the families returned to the service at least another three times, the children had to be hospitalized. The attributes of primary health care were not observed in the public health services, while therapeutic encounters had no practical success.

Download Full-text