VicHealth Letter: From Margins to Mainstream

This issue of the VicHealth Letter provides a snapshot of some of the issues arising at the From Margins to Mainstream Conference in 2008 and the dynamic nature of the work occuring in mental health promotion and prevention of illness, both in Australia and globally.

Beyond Public Education Campaigns

Public health could benefit from a better understanding of marketing principles to help in the quest to shift public policy, to influence organisations outside of the health system to introduce health-promoting practices, and to encourage behaviour change in individuals.

Using Research to Create Healthy Communities

VicHealth’s investment in public health and health promotion research has exceeded $100 million. Our research investments are tightly linked to the big issues – tobacco control, social inclusion, health inequalities, nutrition, alcohol and participation in physical activity.

To Your Health? Exploring what's safe, sensible and social

Alcohol is entrenched in our society: we use it to celebrate, commiserate, relax and socialise. However alcohol is a common companion of violence and injury, unsafe sex, crime, poor mental health, car smashes and workplace absenteeism.

Making the Link Between Cultural Discrimination & Health

For some time VicHealth has identified discrimination and its resulting disadvantages as one of the important drivers of mental ill health. It has the potential to harm us all by undermining community relations and social cohesion, stifling productivity and placing an unnecessary burden on our health, welfare and legal systems.

The Gold Medal for Participation: A new role for sport

Despite sports of all kinds emerging over the last 50 years, we’ve seen a steep decline in the amount of time allocated to sport and physical activity. People are less active than they were, and this is playing havoc with our health.

Respect, Responsibility & Equality: Preventing violence against women

Violence against women is a universal problem and one of the most widespread violations of human rights. To reduce the levels of violence perpetrated against women we need preventative approaches at all levels and a stronger evidence base about violence prevention that will lead to better health.

The New Frontline of Health: From roads, rates and rubbish to community wellbeing

As a hub of knowledge, resources and networks, councils are increasingly using their unique position to encourage businesses, arts groups, community services, sports groups and others to find the common ground and work together to promote health and prevent ill-health.

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: Shaping a sustainable healthy future

There are a bewildering number of terms used to describe the links between the environment and health – ecological public health, healthy sustainable communities and eco-cities to name a few. What they are all trying to articulate is that our health depends on the quality of our environment – natural, built, social and cultural.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: Making the case for choosing health promotion

If an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure, why don’t government and societies fund health promotion appropriately? In this issue we look at what needs to be done to overcome the many barriers to investing in public health, be they economic, commercial, political, cultural or administrative.