Population Health Forum: Where do we go from here?

[ErdaEnv at aol.com]

Population Health Forum Survey - Where does the PHF go from here?


Dear PHF members,

As most of you know Dr Stephen Bezruchka (SB) founded the Population Health 
Forum (PHF) in May, 2000 as a venue to disseminate information on what makes 
a population healthy and to effect structural change.  I am trying to 
determine which direction the PHF should take over the next few years, if 
any.   Basically, SB is over committed on many fronts (teaching a full course 
load, speaking to groups outside of academia, publishing articles for 
journals and magazines, etc.) and he needs our assistance.  The PHF cannot 
grow beyond the current status quo without members of the forum assuming more 
responsibility for leadership and action.

 I was hoping that you would be able to take the time to fill out this 
survey.   My goal is to determine whether members are willing to take any 
steps in the growth of the PHF as an organization and what those steps might 
be.  My questions range from whether we should change our mission statement, 
to meeting times, to types of action PHF members might be interested in 
taking in order to make our population more healthy.  The results of this 
survey will be presented at a PHF meeting sometime this coming fall.

I know most of you don't have much time, so please feel free to answer me in 
any format you desire.  This could include reviewing the questions and 
sending a few thoughts in free form fashion; filling out the survey questions 
and e-mailing them, sending them by regular mail, or faxing them; calling me; 
or meeting with me.  Details on different ways to contact me are listed 
below.

Thank you,

Linn Gould
ErdaEnv at aol.com
Phone: (206) 324-0297
Fax: (206) 324-9631 
2015 14th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
 
Population Health Forum Survey - Where does the PHF go from here?


1. PHF MISSION STATEMENT

"The Population Health Forum at the University of Washington is an informal 
group of people interested in what makes a population healthy.  The forum 
seeks to understand what is known, disseminate those ideas, and work for 
structural changes to bring about the goal of all countries being tied for 
the gold in the health Olympics (the ranking of countries by health 
indicators such as life expectancy or infant mortality)."

Any thoughts about this statement?  Need for revision?  This statement does 
not necessarily reflect ideas about income inequality and poor health.  
Should it?              
 






2. PHF AS DISSEMINATOR OF INFORMATION
In addition to all of his other population health dissemination efforts, SB 
has been responsible for bringing in speakers (Ichiro Kawachi, Richard 
Wilkinson, etc) to speak at UW.  Are PHF members conversant enough in the 
population health message to assist SB in disseminating the message outside 
of academia?  If so, do you have some suggestions on how, where, and who we 
should deliver the message to?  Any interest in developing a PHF website that 
would connect/link us to other like-minded grassroots organizations?  Other 
ideas?


    




3. PHF WORKING FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGE
This is a stated objective in the mission statement, which has not been 
actively engaged by PHF members. Take some of the major changes (abolition of 
slavery, civil rights movement, women's right to vote) in the last few 
hundred years and think about what brought them about.  How do you foresee 
positive changes happening in society?  Are there ones that the PHF can use? 
Are there members who would be interested in taking action to effect social 
change?  If so, what?  





4. PHF AS AN ORGANIZATION
At this point, PHF is an informal group of people.  Any interest in 
developing a more stable infrastructure?  Obtain legal status?  Raise money 
for our cause (eg, grant, donations)? 






5. PHF TERMINOLOGY AND UNIVERSAL MESSAGE 
Can you think of other terms to use besides population health?  In other 
words, how do we distinguish our message (population health) from the current 
paradigm (individual health)?   Other terms in use include public health, 
health disparities, health inequities, health inequalities.    Can you 
summarize in your own words what the PHF is about?  Should we develop a 
universal message (slogan) that defines our goal to make a population 
healthy?  Have any suggestions?  SB has been using "Does society make you 
sick?"






6. NAME CHANGE?  
Can you suggest other names for a re-organized group?    Keep PHF?  
Population Health Collective?, Health Inequities Association?   Global Health 
Forum?   





7. IMPORTANCE OF PHF TO YOU
Please describe how important the concept of working for improving population 
health, health disparities, global health, world health, (various names, 
indicate a preference if you have one) in an organization would be for you.  
What aspects of the PHF have been the most important to you?  Least 
important? Are there ways that you would like to contribute to the PHF?  












8. PHF MEETING LOGISTICS
Is there a better meeting time?  Better meeting place?   What would entice 
you to come to PHF meetings?



9. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: PHFsurvey.doc
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 31744 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/pophealth/attachments/20020822/74b12ad5/PHFsurvey.obj