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A conduit between epidemiological research and regional health policy

Version 2 2024-06-03, 20:59
Version 1 2016-04-07, 11:48
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-03, 20:59 authored by Julie PascoJulie Pasco, C Foulkes, B Doolan, K Brown, Kara KewKara Kew, SL Brennan-Olsen
OBJECTIVE: To transform data from a research setting into a format that could be used to support strategies encouraging healthy lifestyle choices and service planning within local government. METHODS: Details of the health status and lifestyle behaviours of the Geelong, Victoria, population were generated independently by the Geelong Osteoporosis Study (GOS), a prospective population-based cohort study. Recent GOS follow-up phases provided evidence about patterns of unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, smoking and harmful alcohol use. These factors are well-recognised modifiable risk factors for chronic disease; the dataset was complemented with prevalence estimates for musculoskeletal disease, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma and cancer. RESULTS: Data were provided to Healthy Together Geelong in aggregate form according to age, sex and suburb. A population statistics company used the data to project health outcomes by suburb for use by local council. This data exchange served as a conduit between epidemiological research and policy development. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Regional policy makers were informed by local evidence, rather than national or state health survey, thereby optimising potential intervention strategies.

History

Journal

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

Volume

40

Pagination

250-254

Location

Australia

ISSN

1326-0200

eISSN

1753-6405

Language

English

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2016, Public Health Association of Australia

Issue

3

Publisher

WILEY-BLACKWELL