Public acceptability of public health policy to improve population health: A population‐based survey
Affiliation
Public Health Collaborating Unit, School of Health Sciences, Bangor University, Wrexham; Public Health Wales; University of Chester
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Background: For public health policies to be effective, it is critical that they are acceptable to the public as acceptance levels impact success rate. Objective: To explore public acceptance of public health statements and examine differences in acceptability across socio-demographics, health behaviours (physical activity, diet, binge drinking and smoking), health status and well-being. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample (N = 1001) using a random stratified sampling method. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at homes of residents in Wales aged 16+ years. Individuals reported whether they agreed, had no opinion, or disagreed with 12 public health statements. Results: More than half of the sample were supportive of 10 out of 12 statements. The three statements with the greatest support (>80% agreement) reflected the importance of: a safe and loving childhood to becoming a healthy adult, schools teaching about health, and healthier foods costing less. Individuals who engaged in unhealthy behaviours were less likely to agree with some of the statements (eg 39.8% of binge drinkers agreed alcohol adverts should be banned compared to 57.6% of those who never binge drink; P < .001). Conclusions: Findings show an appetite for public health policies among the majority of the public. The relationship between supporting policies and engaging in healthy behaviours suggests a feedback loop that is potentially capable of shifting both public opinion and the opportunities for policy intervention. If a nation becomes healthier, this could illicit greater support for stronger policies which could encourage more people to move in a healthier direction.Citation
Sharp, C. A., Bellis, M. A., Hughes, K., Ford, K., & Di Lemma, L. C. (2020). Public acceptability of public health policy to improve population health: A population‐based survey. Health Expectations, 23(4), 802-812.Publisher
WileyJournal
Health ExpectationsAdditional Links
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hex.13041Type
ArticleEISSN
1369-7625Collections
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/