Health in All Policies in South Australia—Did It Promote and Enact an Equity Perspective

Bibliographic Data

ID15469459
AuthorsHelen Van Eyk (0000-0002-8573-4235, Flinders University, corresponding author), Elizabeth Harris (0000-0002-0838-6660, UNSW Sydney), Franziska Baum (0000-0002-2294-1368, Flinders University), Toni Delany-Crowe (0000-0002-5374-296X, Flinders University), Abbey Lawle (0000-0003-0718-8088, Flinders University), Colin Macdougall (0000-0002-1270-6823, Flinders University)
Year2017
Volume14
Issue11
Pages1288-1288
Publication date2017-10-25
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph14111288
PMID29068400
OpenAlexW2766056739
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited43

Mobilising cross-sectoral action is helpful in addressing the range of social determinants that contribute to health inequities. The South Australian Health in All Policies (SA HiAP) approach was implemented from 2007 to stimulate cross-sector policy activity to address the social determinants of health to improve population wellbeing and reduce health inequities. This paper presents selected findings from a five year multi-methods research study of the SA HiAP approach and draws on data collected during interviews, observation, case studies, and document analysis. The analysis shows that SA HiAP had dual goals of facilitating joined-up government for co-benefits (process focus); and addressing social determinants of health and inequities through cross-sectoral policy activity (outcomes focus). Government agencies readily understood HiAP as providing tools for improving the process of intersectoral policy development, while the more distal outcome-focused intent of improving equity was not well understood and gained less traction. While some early rhetorical support existed for progressing an equity agenda through SA HiAP, subsequent economic pressures resulted in the government narrowing its priorities to economic goals. The paper concludes that SA HiAP's initial intentions to address equity were only partially enacted and little was done to reduce inequities. Emerging opportunities in SA, and internationally, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, may revive interest in addressing equity

Economic growth · Economics · Environmental health · Equity (law · Global health · Government (linguistics · Health care · Health equity · Political science · Population · Population health · Public economics · Public health · Public policy · Public relations · Social determinants of health · Employment and Welfare Studies · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Nursing · Health Policy