NZPHR Vol 7 No 1/2 Jan-Feb 2000
Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Lead Article
Directions for public health in New Zealand in the new millenniumNew Zealand has experienced a steady decline in mortality of approximately 1% a year over the last halfcentury, an improvement that owes much to broader societal advance, including public health initiatives. Yet New Zealands record is a mediocre one. The funding and recognition for public health remains meagre and many features of the public health system function well short of full effectiveness. An assessment of evidence from the burden of disease project underlines the continuing importance of addressing established causes of death. However, non-fatal outcomes can now be seen to be of key significance, particularly mental health, the health status of the elderly, and the discrepancies between Maori and non-Maori. Key strategies are identified as securing the statutory independence and recognition of the public health function; enhancing surveillance and intelligence gathering; developing interventions guided by data on health inequalities, avoidable mortality, and risk factors; fostering community-based health promotion initiatives; setting performance objectives for public health; and renewing an underpinning philosophy for public health. In conclusion, it is argued that much can be achieved by implementing known preventive and surveillance activities, by reinvigorating the public health message, and by developing new models of health promotion, particularly in partnership with Maori.
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