February 12, 2009 – Countries’ public policies can have a big impact on the health of their populations, argues Sir Michael Marmot, chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health. “The proof that states have the means to act: the trillions of dollars found in extremis to save the world economy from the stock market crisis, ”he says.
Nothing more was needed to generate a wave of optimism among the 500 people who recently came to hear this British doctor speak about the WHO report on social determinants.1 of health at the auditorium of Le Plateau school, in Montreal.
For healthy and fair living conditions
The Dr Marmot recalled that in Canada, despite the generosity of the family policy, the child poverty rate reached 11.7% in 2007, the same rate as in 1989. He also asked the politicians present. put health equity at the heart of their public policy agenda.
According to him, to achieve this equity, governments must adopt measures that provide healthier living conditions to citizens, regardless of their income.
And we must act on all fronts: education, finance, housing, employment, transport and public health. But above all, governments must ensure the same starting conditions for all from birth and mainly by improving the quality of life of women. “The position of these women in society is intimately linked to the health and survival of children. We have to give them more power, ”he says. And despite the condition of women in the West, inequalities still persist, as on the wage question, he gives as an example.
Poverty also a priority
Sir Marmot also recommended that decision-makers focus their efforts on poverty among their populations in order to better act on the environmental and social conditions that prevail in disadvantaged areas. He cited as an example the findings of one of his analyzes which revealed that fast food chains were more numerous in disadvantaged areas in England and Scotland. This is why the actions of all government authorities must be consistent so as not to harm people’s living conditions, he argues.
According to him, it is important to make health and health equity common values, in particular by establishing a global surveillance system.
This lecture by Dr Marmot was organized jointly by the Léa-Roback Research Center, the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec, the School of Public Health of the University of Montreal and McGill University.
Carole Boulé – PasseportSanté.net
1. To learn more about the social determinants of health, see our feature: The 12 Factors That Influence Your Health.
