UBC health economist Bob Evans famously called arguments that Medicare is unsustainable or that we therefore need privatization zombies: meaning that these ideas are constantly refuted by all the evidence, yet they keep being raised again and again. Of course, that is because there are powerful interests driving these ideas. Economist Hugh Mackenzie and health […]
Health systems and Health equity
Building Equity Into Health Impact Assessment
The American-based Prevention Institute made a presentation to recent National Research Council deliberations on HIA. They argued that HIA aligns well with primary prevention or upstream action on the roots of ill health and health disparities, and with healthy community planning approaches to addressing the underlying determinants of health.
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Reinstate long-form census for 2011, urges National Statistical Council
Canada’s National Statistical Council, the official advisory body on statistical issues, is calling for the long-form census to be reinstated for the 2011 census. The Wellesley Institute has joined with a long list of business, academic, research, policy and governmental groups that have expressed concern that the federal plan to cancel the mandatory long-form census will […]
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Primary Care as A Key Driver of Health Equity
Evidence from around the world shows that enhancing access to high quality comprehensive primary care for disadvantaged people and communities is one of them most important directions for addressing health inequalities. Community health centres are a vital part of this direction in Canada and many other countries, and the recent AOHC conference on Health Equity: Pushing […]
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Health Equity: Pushing the Boundaries
The theme of the Association of Ontario Health Centre’s annual conference was building equity and diversity into the core of community-based primary care and health promotion. I set out a broad framework on how to drive health equity into action through comprehensive strategies and clear priorities, putting these goals into practice through good planning and […]
Impacts Of The Physical Environment On Health And Well-Being
This policy brief is one in a series that analyzes the implications of the research findings from the St. James Town Initiative and sets out recommendations and options for action.
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Availability And Access To Health And Social Services
This policy brief is one in a series that analyzes the implications of the research findings from the St. James Town Initiative and sets out recommendations and options for action.
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Driving Health Equity Into Action
I spoke at the Changing Face of Ontario conference organized by Across Boundaries, the Canadian Mental Health Association and other mental health organizations and networks. My workshop focused on developing comprehensive health equity strategies and priorities, putting them into practice through good planning and resource allocation, and building equity into ongoing service delivery and performance management. […]
Health Equity Roadmap
There is always a huge amount to be learnt from equity strategy and interventions in other countries. I presented a lecture on health equity strategy in Ontario and Canada to a seminar of public health professors and other leaders in Berlin. One particularly innovative policy in Germany is that a small percentage of health insurance […]
Health Equity Strategy Into Action for Public Health
The Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion has a vital role in supporting an innovative and effective public health system. The Agency has highlighted equity in its strategic priorities. I presented a workshop there on how to build equity into practice through planning, priority setting, resource allocation and performance management, and how health promotion […]
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