Understanding Public Health Policy – International Comparisons
Scotland's poor health status relative to other developed countries is well documented. Are there lessons for Scotland in how countries with a better health record develop, implement and evaluate public health policy?
Quick links on this page:
Background to the review of public health policies
Research methods
Summary of findings
Phase I Report – Understanding Public Health Policy
Phase II Report – Priority topics for health improvement
Further information
Background to the review of public health policies
In 2002 Professor Iain Crombie of Dundee University Department of Epidemiology and Public Health was commissioned to undertake a review of public health policy in a range of developed countries.
The aim was to identify policies, evidence and interventions which could be used to help improve the health of the people of Scotland.
Research methods
Documents were obtained by searching government websites and by writing to Ministers of Health and experts in the field of Public Health.
Data were summarised to demonstrate how public health policy develops and evolves, how targets are used, how the evidence for public health interventions is translated into initiatives that can be successfully implemented and how public health policy is resourced and evaluated.
Summary of findings
The review found that all countries have detailed policies for public health aimed at improving length and quality of life.
Reducing inequalities in health is an overarching aim of most countries. Policies are usually detailed and ambitious, but often lack earmarked funding for implementing interventions.
The extent to which scientific evidence is cited in policy documents varies substantially between countries.
All countries set health targets and these are used to signal the directions in which improvements should occur and to provide a mechanism to monitor progress to better health.
Phase I Report – Understanding Public Health Policy – Learning from International Comparisons
Phase I of the study is now complete. Select the link below to access the final report:
Phase I Report – Understanding Public Health Policy – Learning from International Comparisons
Phase II Report – Priority topics for health improvement
Phase II began in May 2004 and will analyse policy features for a series of topics essential to health improvement.
Priority topics are Inequalities in Health, Alcohol, Obesity and Mental Health. Full reports on Obesity, Alcohol and Inequalities have been completed (see links below).
Full reports
Alcohol report
Obesity report
Mental Health report
The Inequalites report can be accessed from the WHO website.
Summaries
Alcohol summary
Obesity summary
Inequalities
Mental Health
Further information
For further information on this work, contact Jackie Willis - jackie.willis@health.scot.nhs.uk.