Journal of public health policy
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J Public Health Policy · Mar 2020
ReviewImplementation of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax in low- and middle-income countries: recommendations for policymakers.
Longitudinal and observational studies have found a link between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including obesity and diabetes. Following World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, SSB taxes have been implemented in over 40 countries and cities to reduce sugar consumption. Despite continuing battles with communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), an epidemiological transition towards NCDs warrants SSB tax implementation. ⋯ We review experiences of tobacco, alcohol, and SSB tax implementation in LMICs. We discuss potential pitfalls for policymakers and how they might be overcome. We provide recommendations based on implementation experiences in LMICs to help governments improve implementation capacity and advance public health.
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J Public Health Policy · Dec 2019
Effect of closure of live poultry markets in China on prevention and control of human infection with H7N9 avian influenza: a case study of four cities in Jiangsu Province.
As of August 2017, China had encountered five seasonal epidemics of H7N9 avian influenza. To prevent people from contracting H7N9 avian influenza, most cities closed live poultry markets (LPMs) to cut off the source of H7N9 virus. ⋯ Results show that the closure of LPMs can effectively control the spread of H7N9 avian influenza and reduce the incidence of human infection with H7N9. If cases of H7N9 avian influenza continue to occur, LPMs should close for at least 3-4 weeks in susceptible areas to control the spread of infection.
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We analysed Australian plans issued by the public sector and current at the time of the last human pandemic in 2009. They came from various levels of governance, and offered guidance in key domains. Using 13 established criteria, we rated 10 plans (national, state, and territorial) for their usefulness to guide health and medical intervention, business continuity, and crisis communication, plus consideration of at-risk populations. ⋯ Health system-related issues were better addressed than critical infrastructure and essential systems resilience. The needs of Indigenous populations and use of pneumococcal vaccination and antibiotics were rarely considered in plans. Pandemic response would be more effective if plans were standardised, clear, and were to include overlooked dimensions of a pandemic's impact as well as guidance for specified end-users.
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J Public Health Policy · Nov 2017
Historical Article'Greater good' versus civil liberties in the United States: Tuberculosis and Seattle's Firland Sanatorium.
As far back as the late 1700s, peoples in the United States were developing ways to control infectious disease without infringing on Constitutional rights. Despite acknowledgement that an infected person has certain civil liberties, the history of public health law shows that, in many instances, infectious disease isolation and quarantine proved to be scientifically questionable at best. ⋯ Mandatory quarantine at Firland began in the late 1940s and lasted until the facility closed in the early 1970s. Can examining this history enhance understanding of the relationship between "the greater good" and an individual's civil liberties?
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J Public Health Policy · May 2017
Right to sexual and reproductive health in new population policies of Iran.
Sexual and reproductive health services in Iran are influenced by population policies. Willingness of Iranian policy makers to control the population's growth rate resulted in the provision of countrywide family planning services and contraceptives from 1990 to 2013. Now policy makers favour population growth because of a statistically significant decline in the fertility rate and ageing of the population. ⋯ These policies may jeopardize individual and public health. Iran should immediately revoke these laws and policies and progressively improve people's enjoyment of their right to sexual and reproductive health. The country's population policies should focus on encouraging people to have higher fertility by providing financial and social support to parents and future children.