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Pitt H, McCarthy S, Arnot G. Children, young people and the Commercial Determinants of Health. Health Promot Int 2024; 39:daad185. [PMID: 38294037 PMCID: PMC10828929 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daad185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The commercial determinants of health (CDoH) have a significant impact on the health and well-being of children and young people (subsequently referred to as young people). While most research has focused on the influence of harmful industry marketing on young people, more recent CDoH frameworks have emphasized that a range of commercial systems and practices may influence health and well-being. Focusing on the impact of traditional and digital media, contemporary marketing strategies and corporate production and consumption processes, the following article outlines the impact of the CDoH on the health and wellbeing of young people. The article also provides evidence about how young people conceptualize the impact of corporate actors on health, and their involvement in advocacy strategies to respond. The article recommends that when collaborating with young people to understand the impacts of and responses to the CDoH, we should seek to diversify investigations towards the impact of a range of corporate tactics, systems and structures, rather than simply focusing on the impacts of advertising. This should include considering areas and priorities that young people identify as areas for action and understanding why some young people are more vulnerable to commercial tactics than others. Youth are powerful allies in responding to the CDoH. Public health and health promotion stakeholders could do more to champion the voices of young people and allow them to be active participants in the decisions that are made about harmful commercial practices and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Pitt
- Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Simone McCarthy
- Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
| | - Grace Arnot
- Institute for Health Transformation, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia
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Arnot G, Thomas S, Pitt H, Warner E. "It shows we are serious": Young people in Australia discuss climate justice protests as a mechanism for climate change advocacy and action. Aust N Z J Public Health 2023:100048. [PMID: 37142484 DOI: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article aims to understand young Australians' perspectives of climate justice protests as a mechanism for climate change advocacy and action. METHOD A qualitatively led online survey was conducted with n=511 young Australians (15-24 years). Open-text questions prompted for young people's perceptions of the appeal, accessibility, and effectiveness of climate justice protests in climate change action. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to construct themes from the data. RESULTS Participants perceived that protests were an important mechanism for young people to draw attention to the need for climate action. However, they also stated that the clear messages that were sent to governments via protests did not necessarily lead to government action. Young people perceived that there were some structural issues that prevented them from taking part in these types of activities, including living far away from protests, not being accessible for young people with disabilities, and limited support from family members and/or friends to participate. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH Climate justice activities engage young people and give them hope. The public health community has a role to play in supporting access to these activities and championing young people as genuine political actors in addressing the climate crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Arnot
- Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Samantha Thomas
- Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Hannah Pitt
- Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Elyse Warner
- Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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Brusaferro S, Arnoldo L, Brunelli L, Croci R, Mistretta A. Six Ps to drive the future of public health. J Public Health (Oxf) 2022; 44:i94-i96. [DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdac106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Brusaferro
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità , 00161 Rome, Italy
- University of Udine Department of Medicine, , 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Luca Arnoldo
- University of Udine Department of Medicine, , 33100 Udine, Italy
- Accreditation and Quality Unit, Friuli Centrale Healthcare University Trust , 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Laura Brunelli
- University of Udine Department of Medicine, , 33100 Udine, Italy
- Accreditation and Quality Unit, Friuli Centrale Healthcare University Trust , 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Roberto Croci
- School of Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele , 20132 Milan, Italy
- Scientific Communication Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità ; 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Mistretta
- Scientific Communication Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità ; 00161 Rome, Italy
- Section of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Catania Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “G.F.Ingrassia”, , 95125 Catania, Italy
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van Schalkwyk MCI, Zenone M, Maani N, Petticrew M, McKee M. Back to our roots or sowing new seeds: thinking anew on the paradigms of health, harm and disease. J Public Health (Oxf) 2022; 44:i28-i33. [PMID: 36465052 PMCID: PMC9720360 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Health, harms and disease are intimately linked, and their promotion and distribution are determined by the social, political and physical worlds in which people live. Yet, the popular narrative on health is still dominated by a biological model that focuses on a disease-causing 'pathogen' or 'agent' that leads to pathology which is diagnosable and amenable to intervention at the individual level via measures delivered through the health care and public health systems. This model generally rests on understanding populations as a collection of individuals, with the pattern of disease seen as the sum of a series of risk factors acting on each of them. Too little attention is paid to the ways in which health, harm, disease, causation and risk are conceptualized and used as guiding concepts in research, policy debates and other fora. We often overlook the distribution of health and the regulatory regimes, norms, values and rights that promote or undermine health. By challenging our ways of thinking about health, harms and disease, we can start to appreciate with greater depth the ways in which health can be threatened and what should be seen as harmful, and conversely, opportunities for moving our systems towards promoting and protecting health.
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Affiliation(s)
- May C I van Schalkwyk
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Marco Zenone
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Nason Maani
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Mark Petticrew
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Martin McKee
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
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Maani N, McKee M. The commercial determinants of health: The mini-budget is a consequence of foundational forces medicine must bear witness to. BMJ 2022; 378:o2327. [PMID: 36167354 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.o2327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nason Maani
- Global Health Policy Unit, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | - Martin McKee
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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Labonté R. Ensuring Global Health Equity in a Post-pandemic Economy. Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:1246-1250. [PMID: 35942959 PMCID: PMC9808344 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.7212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
With coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) receding, many countries are pondering what a post-pandemic economy should look like. Some advocate a more inclusive stakeholder model of capitalism. Others caution that this would be insufficient to deal with our pre-pandemic crises of income inequality and climate change. Many countries emphasize a 'green recovery' with improved funding for health and social protection. Progressive tax reform and fiscal policy innovations are needed, but there is concern that the world is already tilting towards a new round of austerity. Fundamentally, the capitalist growth economy rests on levels of material consumption that are unsustainable and inequitable. More radical proposals thus urge 'degrowth' policies to reduce consumption levels while redistributing wealth and income to allow the poorer half of humanity to achieve an ethical life expectancy. We have the policy tools to do so. We need an activist public health movement to ensure there is sufficient political will to adopt them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Labonté
- Globalization and Health Equity, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Occhipinti JA, Buchanan J, Skinner A, Song YJC, Tran K, Rosenberg S, Fels A, Doraiswamy PM, Meier P, Prodan A, Hickie IB. Measuring, Modeling, and Forecasting the Mental Wealth of Nations. Front Public Health 2022; 10:879183. [PMID: 35968431 PMCID: PMC9368578 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.879183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the deep links and fragility of economic, health and social systems. Discussions of reconstruction include renewed interest in moving beyond GDP and recognizing "human capital", "brain capital", "mental capital", and "wellbeing" as assets fundamental to economic reimagining, productivity, and prosperity. This paper describes how the conceptualization of Mental Wealth provides an important framing for measuring and shaping social and economic renewal to underpin healthy, productive, resilient, and thriving communities. We propose a transdisciplinary application of systems modeling to forecast a nation's Mental Wealth and understand the extent to which policy-mediated changes in economic, social, and health sectors could enhance collective mental health and wellbeing, social cohesion, and national prosperity. Specifically, simulation will allow comparison of the projected impacts of a range of cross-sector strategies (education sector, mental health system, labor market, and macroeconomic reforms) on GDP and national Mental Wealth, and provide decision support capability for future investments and actions to foster Mental Wealth. Finally, this paper introduces the Mental Wealth Initiative that is harnessing complex systems science to examine the interrelationships between social, commercial, and structural determinants of mental health and wellbeing, and working to empirically challenge the notion that fostering universal social prosperity is at odds with economic and commercial interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-An Occhipinti
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Computer Simulation and Advanced Research Technologies, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - John Buchanan
- Mental Wealth Initiative, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam Skinner
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Yun Ju C. Song
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kristen Tran
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sebastian Rosenberg
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Allan Fels
- Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - P. Murali Doraiswamy
- Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Petra Meier
- Systems Science in Public Health, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ante Prodan
- Computer Simulation and Advanced Research Technologies, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian B. Hickie
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Forman R, Azzopardi-Muscat N, Kirkby V, Lessof S, Nathan NL, Pastorino G, Permanand G, van Schalkwyk MC, Torbica A, Busse R, Figueras J, McKee M, Mossialos E. Drawing light from the pandemic: Rethinking strategies for health policy and beyond. Health Policy 2021; 126:1-6. [PMID: 34961678 PMCID: PMC8645287 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a catastrophe. It was also preventable. The potential impacts of a novel pathogen were foreseen and for decades scientists and commentators around the world warned of the threat. Most governments and global institutions failed to heed the warnings or to pay enough attention to risks emerging at the interface of human, animal, and environmental health. We were not ready for COVID-19, and people, economies, and governments around the world have suffered as a result. We must learn from these experiences now and implement transformational changes so that we can prevent future crises, and if and when emergencies do emerge, we can respond in more timely, robust and equitable ways, and minimize immediate and longer-term impacts. In 2020–21 the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development assessed the challenges posed by COVID-19 in the WHO European region and the lessons from the response. The Commissioners have addressed health in its entirety, analyzing the interactions between health and sustainable development and considering how other policy priorities can contribute to achieving both. The Commission's final report makes a series of policy recommendations that are evidence-informed and above all actionable. Adopting them would achieve seven key objectives and help build truly sustainable health systems and fairer societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Forman
- London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom
| | | | - Victoria Kirkby
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
| | - Suszy Lessof
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Belgium
| | | | | | - Govin Permanand
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Denmark
| | | | - Aleksandra Torbica
- Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management (CERGAS), Bocconi University, Italy
| | - Reinhard Busse
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Belgium; Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Josep Figueras
- European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Belgium
| | - Martin McKee
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Belgium
| | - Elias Mossialos
- London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom; European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Belgium; Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
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van Schalkwyk MCI, McKee M. Research into policy: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Eur J Public Health 2021; 31:iv3-iv8. [PMID: 34751362 PMCID: PMC8576298 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been an unprecedented global effort by researchers from many disciplines to obtain and synthesize knowledge to inform policy responses to SARS-CoV-2. While many major advances have been made in generating and applying knowledge on a pandemic caused by a novel pathogen, some things could have been done better, as revealed by the devastating loss of life and economic impact on livelihoods and communities. We reflect on the context in which the pandemic emerged, characterized by underinvestment in public health and growing distrust in institutions, followed by an overview of three broad areas: generation of new knowledge, synthesis of existing knowledge, both what was known prior to the pandemic and what emerged during it, and the challenges of translating knowledge into policy. We also consider areas that were largely overlooked in the research effort. Across all areas, we aim to draw out relevant lessons for future research and public health practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- May C I van Schalkwyk
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Martin McKee
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK
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