Examining Assumptions in Science-Based Policy: Critical Health Communication, Stasis Theory, and Public Health Nutrition Guidance

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adele Hite ◽  
Andrew Carter
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Public Health Nutrition ◽  
Critical Health Communication

scholarly journals Chasing the ghost of infection past: identifying thresholds of change during the COVID-19 infection in Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Santamaría ◽  
Joaquín Hortal
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Exponential Growth Rate ◽  
Public Health Communication ◽  
Containment Measures ◽  
Key Events

Abstract One of the largest nationwide bursts of the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Spain, where infection expanded in densely populated areas through March 2020. We analyse the cumulative growth curves of reported cases and deaths in all Spain and two highly populated regions, Madrid and Catalonia, identifying changes and sudden shifts in their exponential growth rate through segmented Poisson regressions. We associate these breakpoints with a timeline of key events and containment measures, and data on policy stringency and citizen mobility. Results were largely consistent for infections and deaths in all territories, showing four major shifts involving 19–71% reductions in growth rates originating from infections before 3 March and on 5–8, 10–12 and 14–18 March, but no identifiable effect of the strengthened lockdown of 29–30 March. Changes in stringency and mobility were only associated to the latter two shifts, evidencing an early deceleration in COVID-19 spread associated to personal hygiene and social distancing recommendations, followed by a stronger decrease when lockdown was enforced, leading to the contention of the outbreak by mid-April. This highlights the importance of combining public health communication strategies and hard confinement measures to contain epidemics.

scholarly journals A comparison of health communication effectiveness and the improvement of management strategies: taking two Chinese traditional medicine hospitals’ WeChat public accounts as examples

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Wang ◽  
Lanting Wu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Traditional Medicine ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Health Care Service ◽  
Mobile Internet ◽  
Chinese Traditional Medicine ◽  
Public Account ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background In the light of “Internet plus”, hospitals are following the trend of using mobile internet and adopting a strategy of spreading public health knowledge through mobile terminals. WeChat is a social media with the largest number of users in China. Its public account has become the most popular service among the public. Methods We examine the health communication of medical institutions on social media platforms. The WeChat public accounts of Zhejiang Provincial Chinese Traditional Medicine Hospital and Jiangxi Provincial Chinese Traditional Medicine Hospital were taken as cases to measure the communication effect from the following dimensions: update interval, content positioning and design, numbers of clicks and likes as well as topic types. Results The update interval of WeChat public account of Jiangxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was regular, compared with that of the other hospital. The accounts of the two hospitals both set up special sections to facilitate patients to obtain medical services online. There is an extremely significant difference between the two hospitals’ mean numbers of clicks (p < 0. 001), compared with no significant difference between their mean numbers of likes. One-way analysis of variance suggests the type of topic on posts is significantly correlated with the number of clicks. Moreover, there is an extremely significant difference between public health knowledge and news propaganda. Conclusion The development of hospitals’ WeChat public accounts can promote people’s health and equity in accessing medical information and service, and also boost “Internet plus health care” service. The topic type of hospital’s news publicity is paid a relatively lower attention by users. Therefore, hospitals’ WeChat public accounts need to adjust their strategy from propaganda-oriented to users-centered, with topic planning and posts designed to fulfill users’ needs.

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.

Strengthening public health nutrition research and training capacities in West Africa: Report of a planning workshop convened in Dakar, Senegal, 26–28 March 2009

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (sup1) ◽  
pp. S1-S19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth H. Brown ◽  
Milla McLachlan ◽  
Placido Cardosa ◽  
Félicité Tchibindat ◽  
Shawn K. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
West Africa ◽  
Public Health Nutrition ◽  
Nutrition Research ◽  
And Training

scholarly journals Community pharmacy as a setting for public health nutrition action: Australian nutritionists’ perspectives

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 1864-1872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith H Maher ◽  
John Lowe ◽  
Roger Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Infant Nutrition ◽  
Public Health Nutrition ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Nutrient Supplementation ◽  
Practice Experience ◽  
In Pregnancy

AbstractObjectiveTo explore public health nutritionists’ perceptions of nutrition and its place in community pharmacy (CP) presently and into the future; and to explore perceived opportunities, feasibility and scope of public health nutrition (PHN) interventions in CP, with a focus on maternal and infant nutrition.DesignQualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and drew on hermeneutics as the theoretical framework for analysis and interpretation.SettingQueensland, Australia.SubjectsPublic health nutritionists, identified through purposive, criterion sampling, were chosen due to (i) their role as potential stakeholders, (ii) their knowledge and emphasis on nutrition and (iii) their practice experience.ResultsOpportunities for PHN action focused primarily on actions relating to early nutrient supplementation in pregnancy and breast-feeding protection and promotion. Opportunities in CP were constrained by practitioners’ perception of (i) conflict between health care and commercial interests in CP, (ii) problematic practices in CP and (iii) values and motivations of practitioners and other stakeholders in the CP sector. Strategies were suggested to improve practices and enhance the setting from a PHN perspective. Participants suggested both collaborative and regulatory approaches to achieve settings-based changes, identifying the need for these to coexist for effective outcomes.ConclusionsPublic health nutritionists suggest that opportunities for PHN action are constrained by perceived conflicted interests and that consumers need to be adequately protected from the influence of commercial interests. PHN action in this setting needs adequate reflection on evidence as well as ethics ensuring that practices are ‘for the good’ of mothers and infants.

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