[Pophealth] minutes of PHF meeting Nov 10, 2005

[Stephen Bezruchka]

Present:  Jean, David, Julie, Camille, Jennifer, Irv, Linn, Andra, 
Sanders, Shabnam and Stephen

Julie presented her MPH thesis results interviewing Seattle and King 
County elected officials as well as some form public health in the summer 
using a schema adopted from one in Saskatchewan.  She learned that these 
officials considered health production the result of individual behaviors 
as well as access to health care while generally reflecting little 
awareness of what public health was.  Healthy individuals and healthy 
communities are synonymous.  The idea of a public health impact statement 
mirrored on the environment impact statement was not understood.  Only a 
few minority informants voiced the minority viewpoint that poverty, 
economics, and racism mattered for health.  We learned that the Health 
Department needed to inform others about this concept.  The quote 
presented from the Institute of Medicine's 2003 report on The Future of 
the Public's Health in the 21st Century embodyied the challenge:  For most 
people, thinking about health and health care is a very personal issue. 
Assuring the health of the public, however, goes beyond focusing on the 
health status of individuals; it requires a population health approachÉthe 
committee believes that it is necessary to transform national health 
policyÉthe efforts of the public health system must be supported by 
political will Ð which comes from elected officials who commit resources 
and influence based on evidence Ð and by ÒhealthyÓ public policyÉ

Linn talked about her experience at WHO in Geneva in discussing efforts to 
deal with obesity with the US siding that this was an individual decision, 
in contrast to a comment from a South African official who pointed out 
that the US had the most obesity in the world because of this individual 
focus.  She mentioned how in Europe health departments are taking on the 
task of education officials about health production in populations.

Jennifer talked about reregistering as a Registered Student Organization 
and the need for new officers.  We will take part in an HUB open house Jan 
18 from 10 to 2 pm and volunteers to human a table will be needed.

David chroniclled a population health entry in Wikipedia back in the 
summer which lasted until edited out October 22.  Members of the form are 
asked to write an encyclopedic entry for Population Health for this free 
access effort and send it to figment at u.washington.edu .  You might look at 
this resource at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

We circulated a new poster design from Andrew and expect more in the 
future.  They will be available on our website next to the existing 
poster.

Our next meeting will be Thursday Jan 5 at 4 pm in  (presumptively) H 670

Stephen