The case for, and the effectiveness of, action on determinants of health

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Since bouncing onto the Canadian public health stage in 1994, the determinants of health (DofH) have been battered about as a new technology – more often as a descriptor of problems than a technology to be applied to the problem with measurable success. DrPHealth on determinants of health  

The past year has seen the world congress in Rio with the declaration that Canada has yet to pronounce upon DrPHealth on world congress , the WHO Commission report was released in 2009 and readers are encouraged to follow the Commissions work and activity Commission final report  

This past few weeks, four new items for those that have the DofH in their toolboxes

From Australian is a monograph on the cost of inaction.  Australian monograph on cost of inaction   While this is another descriptive study looking at health inequalities, it attempts to put some monetary value to the cost of disparity.   It also is a good insight to how another country grapples with determinants.  While Australia has its own set of governmental challenges, public health is much more closely held at the national level.

From the National Collaborating Centre on Determinants of Health http://www.nccdh.ca/   as review on intersectoral action in addressing determinants.   Intersectoral collaboration from NCCDH  As has become an increasing trend in systematic reviews, there is as much on why no conclusions can be drawn because of poor methodology in most studies, as there are gems to be found in the handful of studies that met the muster criteria for inclusion.

Fear not, at least groups like Ontario Health Promotion have issued an E-Bulletin on planning to action Ontario Health promotion e-bulletin  which lays out a generic framework for action on determinants without worrying too much on the lack of scientific foundation, and encouraged collection of information on effectiveness as the process proceeds.

For the real keeners, there is an international forum from the WHO for persons working on Determinants of Health http://www.actionsdh.org/ .   It is only through collaboration and sharing of experiences that the technology will be applied effectively and efficiently.

Dive in and take a shot at your favourite determinant.