Health Education Research, Vol. 17, No. 2, 267,
April 2002
© 2002 Oxford University Press
BOOK REVIEW |
Newly published books
Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice, D. Pencheon, C. Guest, D. Melzer and J. A. Muir Gray (eds), Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001, 609 pp, ISBN 0-19-263221-3. This pocket reference resource contains chapters from 93 contributors. Part 1 outlines skills needed to assess and monitor the health of the population; Part 2 covers technical skills to decide on feasible methods and actions; Part 3 covers influencing and implementing policy; Part 4 considers the effects of methods of direct action or immediate determinants of public health; Parts 5 and 6 cover the tasks and skills necessary to assess quality in health care; Parts 7 and 8 personal and organization skills needed to effect change; and Part 9 provides some practical examples.Promoting Health: Intervention Strategies from Social and Behavioral Research, B. Smedley and S. L. Syme (eds), National Academy Press, Washington, 2001, 493 pp, ISBN 0-309-071175-5. Relates to the work of the (US) Institute of Medicine Committee on Capitalizing on Social Science and Behavioral Research to Improve the Public's Health, which was charged during the period 1999–2000 to help identify previous areas of social science and behavioral research that could address public health needs. It consists of an Introduction, Findings and Recommendations, Conclusion, and References. It also includes the 12 papers that the Committee commissioned to aid its task. The first paper provides an overview of the role of behavioral and social actors in health and the distribution of disease; the second explores how social and behavioral factors contribute to socioeconomic and ethnic/racial health inequalities. Five papers discuss what has been learned in behavioral and social research that can be utilized to improve health at different life stages. Three papers examine the `levels' for public health intervention (media and marketing, legislation and public policy and enhancing social capital). One paper provides a review of psychosocial and bio-behavioral interventions in disease processes.
Emerging consensus that records should be based on an ecological model, i.e. dynamic interaction between biology, behavior and the environment over the life course. Also, demographic factors are critical determinants of health and well-being. This social environmental approach includes not only individual phenomena, but also population-based interventions and health public policy. The latter need more scientific considerations—they are methodologically complex, using different methods than the traditional individual reductionist approach. More scientific attention should be given to `upstream' interventions, such as healthy public policy, and the broader socioeconomic factors at community and environmental levels.
Also, this approach suggests the importance of socioenvironmental and collective factors improving health and preventing disease at group or community levels. These factors need to be explored in more depth.
Evidence over the past 100 years demonstrates the effects of such an approach in terms of decline in overall mortality that cannot be linked to medical interventions.
Health education and health behavioral change interventions alone have not been sufficient to change high-risk behavior. Changes must also be made to the environmental context in which people live. The Committee makes 21 recommendations. The following provides an edited summary of them:
- A better balance is needed between the clinical approach to disease, presently the dominant public health model for most risk factors, and research and intervention efforts that address generic social and behavioral determinants of disease, injury and disability.
- Rather than focussing interventions on a single or limited number of health determinants, interventions on social and behavioral factors should link multiple levels of influence (i.e. individual, interpersonal, institutional, community and policy levels).
- Modifying the social capital of communities and neighborhoods offers promise to enhance social contexts.
- Policies that take account of and enhance positive health outcomes among subgroups at high risk of poor health outcomes need to be designed and implemented.
- Improvements in reproduction of outcomes will require addressing social and behavioral influences on the health of women well prior to conception.
- Future interventions directed at infants and young children should focus on strengthening other processes (than education) affecting child outcomes such as the home environment, school and neighborhood influences, and physical health and growth.
- Multi-level interventions should address aspects of adolescents' social environment as they affect health outcomes, including peer norms, performance expectations, social and neighborhood supports, and ties to community institutions.
- Community and worksite interventions and evaluations are needed to promote behavior change, prevent injuries, reduce exposure to occupational risks and unhealthy environments—(to include) individual attributes, social supports and social norms, family and neighborhood factors, and environmental and social policies.
- Interventions that enhance the social support of self-efficiency of older adults are particularly promising.
- Understanding psychosocial and bio-behavioral mechanisms that influence health is critical to better understand and tailor efforts. Research in this area should be encouraged.
- A substantial new research effort is needed to understand the pathways through which behavioral and social factors affect pregnancy outcomes, and to address the issues of women's health across the life-span and across generations.
- Research on early childhood interventions needs to be extended...
- Research should identify sources of health strengths and resilience, as well as social risks, among individuals, families and communities of low socioeconomic status and racial and ethnic minority groups.
- Research is needed to identify pathways through which social contexts directly and indirectly affect disease pathogenesis and outcomes.
- ...evaluations are needed to ensure that these (legal and regulatory) interventions achieve their intended effects without imposing more burdens on individuals or society.
- Expansion of research methodologies are needed to address a broad range of research questions, to ensure that methods are appropriate to the research questions being asked and to respond to the complexities of multi-level interventions.
- Cost-effectiveness analyses are necessary to assess the public health utility of interventions.
- Efforts to develop the next generations of prevention interventions must focus on building relationships with communities, and develop interventions that derive from the communities, assessment of their needs and priorities. Models should be developed that encourage members of the community and researchers to work together to design, train for and construct such programmes.
- Payers of health care should experiment with reimbursement structures to support programmes that promote health and prevent disease.
- Government and other funding agencies and universities should promote the development of interdisciplinary, collaborative research and training. Among the mechanisms that should be encouraged are interdisciplinary research centers, special programme project awards, fellowships and other postgraduate training programmes.
- Greater attention should be paid to funding research on social determinants of health, and on behavioral and social science intervention research addressing generic social determinants of disease.
Evaluation Health Promotion: Practice and Methods, M. Thorogood and Y. Coombes (eds), Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000, 174 pp, ISBN 0-19-263169-1. ‘Sets the concepts of health promotion and evaluation in their historical context and highlights key issues in the evaluation of health promotion interventions. Several qualitative and quantitative methods which are commonly used are described and the problems and benefits which arise with their use are explained. Experiences in the practical implementation of evaluation in a variety of settings are described.’[Publishers note]
The 18 contributors are, or were, based at the Health Promotion Research Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
Medicine in Society: Behavioural Sciences for Medical Students, C. Dowrick (ed.), Arnold, London, 2001, 266 pp, ISBN 0-340-76027-3. Provides an introduction to the behavioral sciences including perspectives drawn from ethics, sociology, psychology, epidemiology, health eco-nomics and public administration.
It describes the theoretical basics of these subjects, explains the concepts of key importance to medical students, linking them to clinical situations and experiences. A useful introduction to health promotion is given in a contributing chapter by Professor Alan Beattie.
International Co-operation in Health, M. McKee, P. Garner and R. Stett (eds), Oxford University Press, 2001, 217 pp, ISBN 0-19-263198-5. Focuses on public health issues that cross-national boundaries, and explores how international collaboration can help tackle current and emerging public health problems. It covers emerging and re-emer-ging infectious diseases; health consequences of global environment change; trade; public health and food; war, from humanitarian relief to preven-tion; the global tobacco epidemic; migration; equity and health; and international co-operation for reproductive health.
Using Research for Effective Health Promotion, S. Oliver and G. Peersman (eds), Open University Press, Buckingham, 2001, 200 pp, ISBN 0-335-20870-3 (pb), ISBN 0-335-20871 1 (hb). Advances evidence-based health promotion by demonstrating how researchers and practitioners can change their working practices to improve the health of the public. It emphasizes the need for health promotion to be grounded in empirical research, focusing on those issues of concern to practitioners and to the public. It highlights the debate regarding the value of qualitative and experimental research in health promotion, and offers methods to synthesize research critically and quickly. Many of its contributors are based at, or were formerly based at, the EPPI Centre (Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre) at the Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, UK. Most of the book describes the results of work carried out there.
Evaluation in Health Promotion: Principles and PerspectivesI. Rootman, M. Goodstadt, B. Hyndman, D. V. McQueen, L. Potvin, J. Springett and E. Ziglio (eds), WHO Regional Publications, Copenhagen, European Series 92, 2001, 533 pp, ISBN 920890-1359-1. This substantive text is the result of work by the WHO European Working Group on Health Promotion Evaluation from 1995 to 1999. They set out to examine quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods to provide guidance to policy makers and practitioners. It comprises an extensive compilation and discussion of the theory, methodologies and practice of evaluating health promotion in Europe and the Americas. The Working Group commissioned over 30 papers to address relevant topics, which are included in the book.
It consists of five parts addressing particular topics (an introduction and framework; perspectives, settings, policies and systems; and synthesis and conclusions). Each section contains chapters that identify key issues in relation to the topic, discusses the theory and best practice of evaluating, and suggests guidelines for policy makers and practitioners. [To be reviewed by Professor Keith Tones].
Health Promotion: Effectiveness, Efficiency and Equity (3rd edn),K. Tones and S. Tilford, Nelson Thornes, Cheltenham, 2001, 524 pp, ISBN 0-7487-4527-0. The third edition of this text has been substantially rewritten to document and reflect on both theoretical and practical developments in health promotion since the second edition in 1994.
Using a two-part structure, the authors examine general issues of health promotion and its effectiveness, and then reflect on the relevance and application of these issues to particular settings such as schools, workplaces, etc. They also examine key strategic and supportive contributions of mass media and community development.
A separate chapter is added to this edition to cover intersectorial working and community-wide programmes. [To be reviewed by Professor Maurice Mittelmark.]
Health Behaviour and Health Promotion in Public Health Psychology: Theoretical Issues and Empirical Findings, T. Von Lengerke, European University Studies Series VI Psychology, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, 2001, 239 pp, ISBN 3-631-37464-X. This study examines how political participation and the health behavior of individuals relate to system behavior in terms of healthy public policy. It focuses on approaches such as community psychology and health promotion. Empirically it uses data gathered in the MAREPS Project—funded by the European Union in the Biomedical and Health Research Programme (EU-Biomed2-Project)—from population and policy-maker surveys in Belgium, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. Results relate to political participation, breast cancer early detection, smoking prevention and promotion of physical activity. It concludes that the co-production of health by policy makers and populations calls for analysis and evaluation of contextual factors for health behavior and multilevel health promotion action within public health psychology.
Making Social Science Matter: Why Social Inquiry Fails and How It Can Succeed Again, B. Flyvbjerg, Cambridge University Press, Cam-bridge, 2001, 204 pp, ISBN 0-521-77568-X (pb). Instead of trying to emulate the natural sciences and create a kind of general theory, Bent Flyvbjerg argues that the strengths of the social sciences lies in their rich, reflexive analysis of values and power—essential to the social and economic development of society. Drawing on the work of Foucault, Bourdieu, Nietzsche and others, he compares the theoretical study of human activity with real-world situations and demonstrates how social science can become relevant again in the real world.
Public Health: An Action Guide to Improving Health in Developing CountriesJ. Walley, J. Wright and J. Hubley, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001, 290 pp, ISBN 0-19-850991-X (pb). This book provides an action guide to improving public health in low-income countries by explaining approaches to developing effective health services and preventive programmes. Practical methods are given for assessing health needs and working with communities to develop appropriate health services, particularly maternal and child health services. Gender, social and economic influences on communities' health are explored. Key issues such as epidemiology, communicable disease control, health financing, and essential clinical and preventive services, for example, are included; together with real examples, illustrations and case studies.
Rationing: Constructed Realities and Professional Practices, D. Hughes and D. Light(eds), Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 2002, 199 pp, ISBN 0-631-22857-9-8 (pb). Drawing on recent case studies from the UK, Europe and the US, this book examines health care rationing in action. Using data from both community and hospital settings, the contributors demonstrate how prioritization and access to care depend on organizational arrangements and professional practices, which are often not transparent to service users. Many chapters focus on detailed accounts of micro-level decision making at the points of service delivery, e.g. accident and emergency department, intensive care unit, community mental health team. The issues explored relate closely to professional cultures and ways of working.
Work and Health: Management in Australia and New Zealand,N. Ellis, Oxford University Press, Victoria, 2001, 418 pp, ISBN 0-19-550767-3 (pb). Work and Health focuses on the rapidly changing workplace, and the need to examine and improve upon current occupational health and safety practices. Complementing existing knowledge about health and safety, it attempts to enhance actions to prevent injury and illness, and promote health and well-being in the workplace. It presents a model in which organizational health and safety is a shared responsibility of both employers and workers.
From Smallpox to AIDS: Public Health Services at Grassroots Levels in Tanzania (1955–1995), B. A. Lyimo (edited by P. Bergsjo and K. I. Klepp), Centre for International Health, University of Bergen & Institute for Nutrition Research, University of Oslo, 2001, 192 pp, ISBN 82-7815-050-8. This book provides a personal and historical account of the organization, challenges and development of Public Health services in Tanzania from 1955 to 1995 by a retired Senior Public Health Officer. It is the story of the transition of an African nation from being a colonial territory to independence in the United Republic of Tanzania. It ends with a critical note on why public health services have not yet succeeded in Tanzania and a plea for constructive improvement.
Applying Health Social Science: Best Practice in the Developing World, N. Higginbotham, R. Briceno-Leon and N. Johnson (eds), Zed Books London (in association with International Forum for Social Sciences in Health), 2001, 291 pp, ISBN 1-84277-051-9 (pb). This book presents 10 case studies which exemplify some of the best practice in health social science in developing countries. Drawn from Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific, these case studies each address the key question of how social/behavioral science approaches can make a difference in improving significant health problems. Problems discussed range from a range of diverse issues—AIDS, use of both indigenous and modern medicine, STDs, smoking, heart disease and psychological stress. The initial and concluding chapters provide an overview of the evolving role of health social science research in addressing health problems.
Annual Report on the State of the Drugs Problem in the European Union 2001.European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon, 2001, 52 pp, ISBN 92-9168-114-8. The 2001 Annual Report offers four chapters on drug demand and drug supply, responses to drug use, selected issues (cocaine, infectious diseases and synthetic drugs), and the drug problem in central and eastern European countries.
The Essential U & I: A One Volume Presentation of the Findings of a Lengthy Grounded Study of Whole Systems Change towards Staff-Consumer Collaboration for Enhancing Mental Health Services, Y. Wadsworth (ed), Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, Melbourne, 2001, 225 pp, ISBN 0-9579990-0-3. Understanding and Involvement (U & I) offers a unique approach to researching mental health services as it evaluates acute psychiatric hospital practice from a consumer's point of view. Part reader and part commentary, it represents some of the key elements of a sequence of consumer research studies (conducted from 1989 to 1996) which made and continue to make a contribution to profound changes in local, state and national mental health services and policy in Australia.
Gender, Health and Healing: The Public and Private Divide, G. Bendelow, M. Carpenter, S. Vautier and S. Williams (eds), Routledge, London, 2002, 292 pp, ISBN 0-415-23574-X (pb). This book 'lies at the intersection of gender studies, the sociology of health and healing, health policy, the critical analysis of scientific knowledge and current debates about the body, health and emotions'. It presents a wide range of issues around emerging contemporary concerns, such as new genetics and transformations in biomedical knowledge and practices.
No Time to Lose: Getting More from HIV Prevention, M. S. Ruiz et al., National Academy Press, Washington DC, 2001, 227 pp, ISBN 0-309-07137-2. In 1999 the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requested that the Institute of Medicine convene a committee to conduct a comprehensive review of current HIV prevention efforts in the US. Specifically this Committee on HIV Prevention Strategies in the US was asked to review the HIV prevention actions of the CDC and other Department of Health and Human Services agencies, as well as other public and private sector organizations, and to examine the changing nature of the epidemic and relevant emerging research in the behavioral sciences. This book presents the work of this Committee together with the Institute of Medicine's framework for a national strategy. This strategy includes use of cost-effective resource allocation, effective prevention programmes, new surveillance and prevention technologies, more appropriate translation of prevention science into community-level action, and elimination of social barriers to preventive efforts.
Health: The Foundations for Achievement,2nd edn, D. Seedhouse, Wiley, Chichester, 2001, 144 pp, ISBN 0-471-49011-3. Seedhouse has kept to the character and focus of his original 1986 volume, and has includes additional material and discussion, new case studies and revised illustrations. The book describes and examines competing theories of health, proposes a practical and ethical foundation for health promotion and education, explains in detail his foundations theory, and relates it to the facilitation of more humane health services.
Measuring Disease: A Review of Disease-Specific Quality of Life Measurement Scales, 2nd edn, A. Bowling, Open University Press, Buckingham, 2001, 395 pp, ISBN 0-335-20641-7. This is a revised and updated edition, which supplements the author's previous work (Measuring Health, 2nd edn, 1997). She introduces the key literature on the psycho-metric properties of measuring disease-specific quality of life, including popularly used symptom and single-dimension scales.
Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public HealthL. Garrett, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001, 477 pp, ISBN 0-19-850995-2. Betrayal of Trust reveals a series of present and potential public health catastrophes in various parts of the world over the past two decades which the author highlights as marking the death of public health as a bond of trust between government and people. She identifies various aspects of globalization and their damaging effects on health in a number of detailed case studies, e.g. in India (bubonic plague), Zaire (Ebola) and in the former countries of the Soviet Union. She also discusses issues such as bio-terrorism, the growth of antibiotic superbugs and the growth of unprecedented epidemics.
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