Health promotion international
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Resource allocation is a critical issue for public health decision-makers. Yet little is known about the level and type of resources needed to build capacity to plan and implement comprehensive programs. This paper examines the relationships between investments and changes in organizational capacity and program implementation in the first phase (1998-2003) of the Ontario Heart Health Program (OHHP)--a province-wide, comprehensive public health program that involved 40 community partnerships. ⋯ Regression analysis indicated that staff turnover explained 23% of local variability in organizational capacity. Findings reinforce the need for adequate investment and retention of key staff positions in complex partnership programs. Better accounting of public health investments, including monetary and in-kind investments, is needed to inform decisions about the amount and duration of public health investments that will lead to effective program implementation.
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Several international studies point at the efficacy of bicycle helmets in reducing head injuries. In Sweden, observational studies show that from 1988 to 1996 helmet use increased in all categories of cyclists. The objectives of this study were to analyse the trends of bicycle-related head injuries based on their main diagnosis and external cause of injury by different age groups. ⋯ Our conclusions are that the decrease in IR for bicycle-related head injuries refers to children in ages for whom bicycle helmet use during the period increased. This could not be explained by any general decrease in bicycle-related accidents or by any changes in the distribution of injuries after collision with motor vehicles. The increasing helmet use among younger schoolchildren probably contributed to the decrease in head injuries.
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Facilitating community action is a key goal of health promotion. This paper describes a public health advocacy framework. ⋯ The campaign was evaluated in terms of process and outcomes, and was successful in putting pressure on key stakeholders and achieving the alliance's two main goals. The case study demonstrates the value of a well-planned campaign and including public health advocacy in public health practice, as an important strategy to facilitate the creation of healthy environments through healthy public policy.
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The aim of this study was to describe the nature and amount of sales promotion use on food packaging in selected Australian supermarkets, specifically those directed at children through the use of premium offers, such as giveaways and competitions, and cartoon and movie character promotions. The study also examined the promotion of healthy versus unhealthy foods. Nine supermarkets located across the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia were surveyed to assess the extent and nature of food promotion directed at children. ⋯ This was the first study to describe the extent and nature of food promotions used in supermarkets. The promotion of unhealthy foods in supermarkets is common and is one of the many factors contributing to today's obesity promoting environment. Further research is required to determine the impact of food promotions on children's dietary intake, and to determine the most effective ways to restrict the promotion of unhealthy foods.
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This paper examines the factors that have enabled the Healthy Cities Noarlunga (HCN) initiative to be sustainable over 18 years (1987-2005). Sustainability related to the ability of the initiative to continue to operate continuously in a manner that indicated its existence was accorded value by the community and local service providers. ⋯ Nine factors emerged as important to ensuring sustainability: strong social health vision; inspirational leadership; a model that can adapt to local conditions; ability to juggle competing demands; strongly supported community involvement that represents genuine engagement; recognition by a broad range of players that Healthy Cities is a relatively neutral space in which to achieve goals; effective and sustainable links with a local university; an outward focus open to international links and outside perspectives; and, most crucial, the initiative makes the transition from a project to an approach and a way of working. These sustainability factors are likely to be relevant to a range of complex, community-based initiatives.