Category Archives: poverty

The GFC and global health: why Australia needs to step up to the plate

December 8, 2011 – 10:48 am

The global financial crisis has hit promising work tackling the neglected diseases that affect the world’s poor, according to a new report. Australia could be doing more to assist, argues Mary Moran, Executive Director of Policy Cures, a not-for-profit which provides analysis and decision-making tools for those involved in creating new pharmaceuticals for neglected diseases. *** [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health, health and medical research, health financing and costs, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, public health, vaccines | Comments (1)

Early childhood trauma and long-term health

October 10, 2011 – 4:41 pm

The New Yorker magazine ran an illuminating article earlier this year about the impact of traumatic childhoods upon long-term health, both physical and mental. The poverty clinic: can a stressful childhood make you a sick adult? profiled the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, which is billed as “perhaps the largest scientific research study of its [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, childbirth and maternity services, Indigenous health, Media-related issues, Medicare Locals, mental health, nurses and nursing, prevention, primary health care, public health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

It’s time to refocus health debate on the issues that really matter

August 26, 2011 – 2:44 am

During the last four years of health reform debate, how many mainstream media articles did you see about the “social determinants of health”? Admittedly, no headline writer in their right minds would use such jargon but even so, we hear very little in mainstream debate about the powerful influence of social, economic, environmental and cultural [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Australian Medical Association, disabilities, health reform, Indigenous health, Media-related issues, mental health, prevention, primary health care, public health, rural and remote health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (4)

Challenging mainstream thinking about health and medicine

April 6, 2011 – 12:11 pm

The international heavyweight of a social understanding of health, Sir Michael Marmot (who, ironically enough, also wears the cap of British Medical Association president), is currently visiting Australia for a World Medical Association meeting. In this ABC interview, he argues that doctors should become more involved in tackling health inequalities. You can also hear him [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health, Health inequalities, prevention, public health, social determinants of health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (3)

A dirty great wrap of recent public health news from Twitter

November 15, 2010 – 4:47 pm

This post is for those who haven’t yet realised that Twitter is a fantastic source of public health news. And it’s also for those who might have realised this, but don’t have time for Twitter-trawling. Below are links to recent news and reports found via Twitter about: food tobacco control public health health policy the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in cancer, climate change, environmental health, evidence-based issues, Food, global health, Hospitals, Indigenous education, Media-related issues, pharmaceutical industry, prevention, public health, quality and safety of health care, screening, social determinants of health, tobacco control | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (3)

Should the poor be able to spend their benefits on soft drinks?

October 11, 2010 – 3:58 pm

Back in January, Croakey’s Washington correspondent Dr Lesley Russell filed this piece about New York City’s public health crusading Mayor, Michael Bloomberg. At the time, I wondered: what will Bloomberg and his team do next? Here is at least some of the answer. He plans to stop food stamp recipients from using state funds to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Food, obesity, prevention, public health | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

At last, some media attention for the social determinants of health: but what next?

September 28, 2010 – 11:59 am

Yesterday, there was something of a breakthrough when it comes to reporting of health issues. Mark Metherell, who reports on health policy for the Sydney Morning Herald, achieved a prominent page-lead placement for a story about a report on the social determinants of health. This is so unusual that it’s newsworthy in itself. (This is [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in obesity, social determinants of health | Comments (2)

Some tough questions for Roxon and Dutton at today’s election health debate

August 11, 2010 – 10:58 am

Will Health Minister Nicola Roxon and her Opposition counterpart Peter Dutton get a chance to talk about health and health policy at the National Press Club debate today, or will they (and the journalists attending) be stuck on political point-scoring and a hospital beds bidding war? What questions should the journalists be asking to try [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in adverse events, alcohol, cancer, child health, childbirth and maternity services, chronic diseases, complementary medicines, consumer health information, dental care, e-health, evidence-based issues, federal election 2010, health financing and costs, Health inequalities, health reform, health workforce, Hospitals, illicit drugs, Indigenous health, Media-related issues, mental health, NT Intervention, obesity, prevention, primary health care, public health, quality and safety of health care, rural and remote health, social determinants of health, tobacco control | Comments (4)

Helping low income smokers to quit is a winning investment

December 21, 2009 – 11:38 am

So many public health initiatives end up doing most good for the better off.  So it’s nice to hear of one that’s brought plenty of payoff to people at the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum. Croakey’s North American correspondent, Dr Lesley Russell, reports below on new findings suggesting that targeting anti-smoking initiatives to the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Health inequalities, public health, tobacco control | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Starving America?

November 19, 2009 – 12:13 pm

What does economic crisis mean for a country’s health? Hunger and hardship for the population’s most vulnerable, judging by the news coming out of the US. Croakey’s North American correspondent, Dr Lesley Russell, writes: “While an excellent discussion is underway on Croakey about the value of calorie labeling in tackling obesity, it has been shocking [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, Food, global health, Health inequalities, public health | Tagged , , | Comments (3)