What could we do, and what should we not do, to improve public health? This Blog has postings from public health experts on issues such as efficiency, equity, interventions, politics, cost effectiveness and much more.
Thursday, August 11th, 2022 | cooju60p | 1 Comment
Philippa Howden-Chapman, Helen Viggers, Caro Fyfe, Michael Keall*
This blog is part of the Public Health Solutions series looking at effective public health measures to reduce demand on healthcare quickly. This blog looks at solutions in the housing sector: energy efficient heaters; reducing avoidable home injuries and improving building standards. Continue reading
Wednesday, August 10th, 2022 | cooju60p | No Comments
Caroline Shaw, Alistair Woodward, Alex Macmillan*
This blog is part of the Public Health Solutions series looking at effective public health measures to reduce demand on healthcare quickly. This blog looks at solutions in the transport sector: low traffic neighbourhoods, creating comprehensive pop-up networks for biking, scooting and wheelchair use and speed limit reductions. Continue reading
Monday, August 8th, 2022 | cooju60p | No Comments
For the next few weeks, Public Health Expert blog will be publishing a series of invited blogs on the best public health interventions the government can put in place to reduce pressure on the health system.
Image by Luke Pilkinton-Ching, University of Otago Wellington Continue reading
Monday, July 25th, 2022 | cooju60p | No Comments
Janet Hoek, Nick Wilson, Jude Ball, Richard Edwards, Phil Gendall*
Hoek J, Wilson N, Ball J, Edwards R, Gendall P. The Two-Faced Tobacco Industry: Transformation and Cigarillos. Public Health Expert Blog. 25 July 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/the-two-faced-tobacco-industry-transformation-and-cigarillos/
Tobacco companies have made much of their “transformation” vision, which they claim will herald a new smokefree world. Philip Morris International (PMI) has pioneered this rhetoric yet this company’s recent launch of a new, super value, smoked tobacco product: the cigarillo “Chesterfield Leaf”, has led many to ask how launching a cheaper cigarette-like product fits with PMI’s vision of a smoke-free future? In this blog we explore that question and explain why policy makers should continue to treat tobacco companies with extreme suspicion. Continue reading
Friday, July 22nd, 2022 | cooju60p | 1 Comment
Dr Tim Chambers, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Simon Hales, Marnie Prickett, Prof Michael Baker*
Chambers T, Wilson N, Hales S, Prickett M, Baker M. Three Waters reforms are needed to protect public health and ensure changes are economically sustainable and efficient. Public Health Expert Blog. 22 July 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/three-waters-reforms-are-needed-to-protect-public-health-and-ensure-changes-are-economically-sustainable-and-efficient/
Public discourse on the Three Waters reforms has been dominated by anti-co-governance rhetoric and concerns around privatisation. This debate has drowned out the fundamental problem statement justifying the reforms. In this blog, we re-focus the discussion on the critical need to reform the management of drinking water resources which is currently: 1) inadequate to protect public health and promote health equity; and 2) economically unsustainable and inefficient. Continue reading