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Aim: To provide insight into the process of developing health and nursing policy and how that process can be influenced by both researchers and nursing leaders. Background: Nurses care for people across the life course from birth to death, in our communities, hospitals, care homes and schools. They have unique insight into how people live their lives and how this affects their health. Despite being well placed to influence health policy, nurses often fail to capitalise on this. At the same time, academics often struggle to identify the policy implications of their research resulting in further missed opportunities to use policy influence. Sources of evidence: Classical policy theory, which is predominantly drawn from economics and public administration together with a range of contemporary nursing and health policy studies, is used in this paper to discuss the policy process and opportunities to influence. Discussion: Researchers need to focus on realistic policy suggestions that aim to raise awareness, highlight policy problems or set the agenda. In turn, nursing leaders, from National Nursing Associations, need to harness evidence to support their efforts to influence policy. In terms of influence, a range of approaches exist, and each lends itself to different parts of the policy cycle. Conclusion: The role nurses can play in health policy is not well developed in many countries. Nursing researchers and leaders are well placed to influence policy but must do so in a clear and pragmatic way recognising that policymakers make decisions despite being faced with conflicting evidence, competing demands and economic imperatives. Implications for nursing practice: Recognising that nurses can offer much in terms of policy development, the paper argues that a pragmatic approach based on different forms of influence at different stages is likely to be most successful. Implications for nursing and health policy: The evidence reviewed in this paper suggests that nursing academics and leaders need to identify realistic policy interventions when examining their own empirical work or identifying ways to individually or collectively influence policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: This study delves into the risk perceptions of Italian pediatricians concerning climate change's impact on children's health. Given children's heightened vulnerability to climate-related health risks, comprehending these perceptions is crucial. A review of pertinent literature establishes the framework, emphasizing six key factors influencing children's susceptibility to climate-related health hazards. Methods: Methodologically, the study utilized a survey tool developed collaboratively with the Italian Society of Pediatrics (SIP), garnering responses from a representative sample of Italian pediatricians. Results: Findings indicate a high level of awareness among respondents regarding climate change and its health implications, with a majority attributing it primarily to human activity. Pediatricians recognize various current and anticipated health impacts of climate change, notably concerning illnesses linked to outdoor air quality. Despite acknowledging their role in addressing climate-related health concerns, respondents also cite barriers to engagement, including time constraints and knowledge gaps. However, they express interest in resources like professional training and policy statements to bolster their capacity for effective communication and advocacy. Conclusions: Comparisons with prior studies highlight the consistency of findings across diverse contexts and underscore the significance of integrating climate and environmental health education into medical training. Overall, this study sheds light on pediatricians' perspectives in tackling the convergence of climate change and children's health, pinpointing avenues for enhancing their involvement in climate advocacy and mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Organised by the 'Qualitative Long Covid Network', a workshop for qualitative Long COVID (LC) researchers, LC charity representatives and people with LC took place in June 2023, where research on the intersectional inequalities affecting LC prevalence, recognition and care was shared and discussed. Methods: Five key themes were drawn up from presentations, discussions and reflections during the workshop, which are presented in this study. Results: The following five themes are discussed: the unfairness of LC, difficulties in accessing care, mistrust of the healthcare system, a lack of understanding of LC and experiences of stigma and discrimination. Factors that widen or narrow inequalities related to LC were identified. Conclusion: A call to action is proposed to investigate and address inequalities through a robust LC research agenda that speaks with conviction to policy and decision‐makers. We argue that there needs to be a strong investment in research and evidence‐based policy and practice to mitigate the worst effects of the condition and address the inequalities in experience, treatment and support, which are experienced more often and more acutely by some of society's most vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals. Patient and Public (PPI) Contribution: Projects included in this article had PPI ongoing activity to inform their research. A member of the CONVALESCENCE PPI group presented at the QLC Network 'Long Covid and Health Inequalities' workshop, as did members of Long COVID Kids, Long COVID Support and Long COVID SOS charities. They were all invited to be co‐authors of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Health care is advancing toward a collaborative and integrative approach that promotes general health and wellness while addressing health inequities through the consideration of broader social and economic factors that influence the well-being of the entire population. Recently, there has been growing evidence of public health concept applications in fields related to speech, language, and hearing. However, there is an outstanding need to explicitly define the intersection of public health, including prevention and health promotion, and the discipline of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) across the areas of education, clinical practice, research, and policy. The authors propose a definition for this intersection using the new term communication public health. Method: This tutorial provides guidance on how to conceptualize communication public health and invites refinement and expansion of the intersection between public health and CSD. Because readers are experts in CSD, this tutorial aims to supplement existing knowledge with information on public health to achieve three main objectives: (a) increase knowledge of the application of public health concepts among speech, language, hearing, and related professionals (SLHP+); (b) introduce the concept of communication public health; and (c) discuss the relevance of communication public health across domains within CSD. The authors utilize the socioecological model to provide examples of applications. Results: The concept of communication public health is proposed as the collaborative area of CSD and public health, which encompasses prevention and promotion of equity in communication health through individual-, community-, and population-level efforts. The goals of communication public health are achieved through applications of public health principles in CSD education, clinical practice, research, and policy. Conclusion: Communication public health defines an area of collaboration between public health and CSD in which SLHP+ can apply public health concepts to both advance communication health and address health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health nursing frequently finds itself at the nexus of community and politics. It is a precarious position, one that demands a keen understanding of how decisions made in the halls of power impact the most vulnerable among us. From gutting Medicaid and TANF to eroding protections for LGBTQ individuals and female‐headed households, Project 2025 is an affront to public health nursing's moral foundation and professional ethos. This personal reflection challenges nurses to embrace their role as advocates for a more just and equitable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: U.S. medical schools are searching for ways to address issues of health justice in undergraduate medical education. Physicians have not typically received training in how to be effective advocates for systemic change and individuals in policy fields are not usually equipped to understand the complex issues of health science and their intersection with the health system and society. To address this gap, medical school faculty partnered with school of public policy faculty on a collaborative learning model that engaged MD and Master of Public Policy students together to strengthen their collective knowledge of the healthcare landscape, and to build skills to work for health justice. Intervention: We hypothesized that pairing medical students with public policy students to learn about the intersections of health justice and advocacy could enhance the efficacy of each group and provide a new model of collaboration between medical and policy professionals. The students collaborated on a health justice advocacy project through which they provided consultation to an established community organization. Context: The 8-week course took place in the spring of 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Due to Covid-19 the course was taught online and included asynchronous learning modules and live Zoom sessions. The project also served as a pilot for the post-clerkship phase of a new longitudinal health justice curriculum for MD students that launched in August 2021. Impact: Analysis of student work products, course evaluations, partner interviews, and student focus groups showed that students valued learning through their interdisciplinary collaborative work which gave them new perspectives on health justice issues. The community partners indicated that the students consultative work products were useful for their initiatives, and that they found working with MD and MPP students to be a valuable way to think about how to build stronger and more inclusive coalitions to advocate for health justice. This project has the potential for national impact as it aligns with the Association of American Medical Colleges' renewed focus on the responsibility of academic medicine to partner with communities for health justice. The project also contributed to the national conversation on how to align health systems science education with the aims of health justice through our participation in the American Medical Association Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium. Lessons Learned: Leveraging faculty relationships with community partners was crucial for developing meaningful projects for students. Cultivating and expanding community partner networks is necessary to sustain and scale up this type of intervention. Centering the needs of communities and supporting their on-going work for health justice is essential for becoming an effective advocate. Learning communities that bring interdisciplinary students, healthcare providers, policy professionals, and community partners together to learn from one another can create key opportunities for ameliorating health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing law as a determinant of scarcity in health care is vital. This paper underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to manage scarcity beyond intellectual property, using targeted regulations to promote affordability and counter market distortions. I argue that relying on law solely to ensure democratic deliberations for resource allocation overlooks market failures and economic inequalities that contribute to scarcity. I examine different "legal determinants of scarcity" that can be used, on the basis of the right to health, to improve or positively influence the availability and affordability of health technologies through complementary policies such as direct price control, competitive procurement, competition laws, and public-private partnerships. I conclude by asserting that health care affordability must be a central positive human rights obligation in economic and health policies and that states must strive to diversify their approaches to eliminate persistent economic barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Public Health Law Conference: People. Policy. Progress., held October 2023, brought together more than 400 stakeholders in public health to explore how law and policy can be leveraged to advance health equity, improve data sharing for community health, protect access to reproductive health and facilitate system change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the impact of public policies and legislation on the U.S. wound care community and patient access to treatment and care in 2023 and outlines wound care advocacy initiatives for 2024 covering cellular and/or tissue-based products, antimicrobial dressings, lymphoedema compression and surgical dressings.

I shall argue, first, that potential kidney donors may be subject to harmful pressure to donate. This pressure may take almost any form; people have diverse interests, and anything that could set them back may qualify as pressure. Given features of the context—the high stakes, the involvement of family, and the social meaning of donation—such pressure may be especially harmful. This problem is less tractable than the more familiar worry that pressure may compromise consent. Screening may ensure donors validly consent, but it provides no protection against harmful pressure. I shall argue, second, that the use of such pressure is the predictable consequence of the prohibition on kidney sales. Potential donors have something—a transplantable kidney—that is both valuable and scarce. Many of them, informed about donation, decide against it. Those in need of a transplant may seek to persuade the unwilling. Given the prohibition, the donation cannot be made more attractive in absolute terms by, say, the addition of money. However, it can be made more attractive in relative terms. If declining the option is made worse, then, by comparison, accepting it is made better. The application of harmful pressure has the desired effect. With so much at stake, and no good alternatives, its use is predictable. I conclude that potential donors' interests should figure more prominently in the discussion of transplant policy. Those who defend the prohibition have made virtually no attempt to account for its impact on that group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From October 2008 through 2010, journalists Charles Ornstein and Tracey Weber produced for the Los Angeles Times and ProPublica a series of investigative reports on the performance of the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), finding that it took an average of 3.5 years to act on complaints of professional misconduct by registered nurses, including sexual assault of patients, substance use, and repeat medication errors that resulted in patients dying. In June 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he was firing members of the BRN. Its executive officer resigned shortly thereafter. This case study analyzes interviews with nine participants, including the journalists and individuals who were public and nurse members of the BRN in 2009. Four themes emerged: (1) There is a tension between what are perceived to be the public's interests versus nursing's interests; (2) Political naiveté about government and organizational culture can lead to the personalization of actions directed at institutions; (3) A sense of fatalism may be reinforced by organizational culture; and (4) The role and use of media in a free society may be obscured when one is the focus of investigative journalism. Nurses who seek to operate in the public sector must be grounded in the political realities of complex governmental forces that may appear to be illogical or personally offensive. Media, particularly news media, is a powerful tool for influencing these forces. Nurses should employ strategic approaches to the use of media in order to advance their voices as advocates for the public's interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal and child health is a priority for most governments, especially those in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), due to high mortality rates. The combination of individual and social actions designed to gain political commitment, policy support and social acceptance for health goals are influenced by the interplay between the advocates and the strategies they deploy in planning and advocating for maternal and child health issue. This study aims to deepen our understanding of how advocacy has influenced maternal and child health priority setting in Nigeria. Methods: This is a mixed method study that involved 24 key informant interviews, document review, policy tracking and mapping of advocacy events that contributed to the repositioning of maternal and child health on the political agenda was done. Respondents were deliberately selected according to their roles and positions. Analysis was based on Shiffman and Smith's policy analysis framework of agenda setting. Results: Our findings suggest that use of various strategies for advocacy such as influencers, media, generated different outcomes and the use of a combination of strategies was found to be more effective. The role of advocacy in issue emergence was prominent and the presence of powerful actors, favorable policy window helped achieve desired outcomes. The power of the advocates and the strength of the individuals involved played a key role. Conclusion: This study finds it possible to understand the role of advocacy in policy agenda setting through the application of agenda setting framework. To achieve the health SDG goals, advocacy barriers need to be addressed at multiple levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: From 2018, the International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) implemented the Advocating Safe Abortion project to support national obstetrics and gynecology (Obs/gyn) societies from ten member countries to become leaders of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). We share experiences and lessons learnt about using value clarification and attitude transformation (VCAT) and abortion harm reduction (AHR) as strategies for our advocacy engagements. Methods: The advocacy goal of ending abortion-related deaths followed predefined pathways from an extensive needs assessment prior to the project. These pathways were strengthening capacity of the Obs/gyn society as safe abortion advocates; establishing a vibrant network of partners; transforming social and gender norms; raising awareness of the legal and policy environment regarding abortion, and promoting the generation and use abortion data for evidence-informed policy and practice. Our advocacy targeted multiple stakeholders including media, policy makers judicio-legal, political and religious leaders, health workers and the public. Results: During each engagement, facilitators required audiences to identify what roles they can play along the continuum of strategies that can reduce maternal death from abortion complications. The audiences acknowledged abortion complications as a major problem in Uganda. Among the root causes for the abortion context, audiences noted absence of an enabling environment for abortion care, which was characterized by low awareness about the abortion laws and policy, restricted abortion laws, cultural and religious beliefs, poor quality of abortion care services and abortion stigma. Conclusion: VCAT and AHR were critical in enabling us to develop appropriate messages for different stakeholders. Audiences were able to recognize the abortion context, distinguish between assumptions, myths and realities surrounding unwanted pregnancy and abortion; recognize imperative to address conflict between personal and professional values, and identify different roles and values which inform empathetic attitudes and behaviors that mitigate abortion harms. The five pathways of the theory of change reinforced each other. Using the AHR model, we delineate strategies and activities which stakeholders could use to end abortion deaths. VCAT enables critical reflection of views, beliefs and values versus professional obligations and responsibilities, and promotes active attitude and behavior change and commitment to end abortion-related deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR) scheduled for November 17, 2024, highlighting the ongoing crisis of traffic-related deaths and injuries in the United States. It mentions that the event serves as an opportunity to remember those affected by traffic crashes and to advocate for safer roadways, with many communities organizing rallies, memorial walks, bike rides, and vigils in 2023.

Policy PointsThe commercial determinants of health (CDH) framework can inform public health policy, practice, and research in ways that contribute to overcoming the world's most serious public health challenges.By documenting the pathways by which commercial actors shape health, the CDH framework can provide a unifying focus for collective action to prevent and ameliorate global health crises.To realize these opportunities, CDH proponents need to find synergies in the multiple emerging streams of research, practice, and advocacy and create a body of scientific evidence, methodologies, and ideas that can inform a public health practice for the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2018 implementation guidance for the Baby‐Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) recommends institutionalising the ten Steps through nine national responsibilities for universal coverage and sustainability. As countries adapt BFHI programmes to this paradigm shift away from traditional designation programmes, documenting and sharing policy and programme experience are critical and currently sparse. This qualitative case study included desk reviews of published and grey literature on BFHI programming, national plans and policy documents specific to the selected national responsibilities for universal coverage and key informant (KI) interviews across a range of actors. In the Kyrgyz Republic, the case study explored responsibility 5, development and implementation of incentives and/or sanctions, and responsibility 6 in Malawi, providing technical assistance (TA). In both countries, the three sustainability responsibilities (national monitoring [7] communication and advocacy [8] and financing [9]) as they relate to the universal coverage of the targeted responsibilities were also explored. Thirty‐eight respondents in the Kyrgyz Republic described approaches that were used in the health system, including BFHI designation plaques, performance‐based financing and financial sanctions. However, currently, there are no formal incentives and sanctions. In Malawi, TA was utilised for national planning and to introduce quality improvement processes. Forty‐seven respondents mostly described provisions of TA in building and strengthening the capacity of providers. More programmatic evidence to demonstrate which types of incentives or sanctions can be effective and sustained and more documentation of how TA is provided across multiple aspects of implementation are needed as countries institutionalise BFHI. Key messages: 1.National policies and national and subnational plans need to be effectively communicated throughout the health system and systematic coordination are important to institutionalising Baby‐Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).2.Technical assistance, commonly provided for professional competency building, could support hospital practices, procedures and management.3.Understanding the motivations of providers and health systems and monitoring key indicators are important for incentives and sanctions to be effective.4.Documenting and sharing programmatic experiences are critical as countries adopt the new BFHI guidance.5.Multisectoral advocacy for the ten Steps is needed to secure national and local commitment and funding across and beyond the health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this discussion paper is to explore how nurses can be strategically poised to advocate for needed policy change in support of greater income equality and other social determinants of health. We adapted Bronfenbrenner's social‐ecological model to highlight how four broad pervasive subsystems shape the opportunities that nurses have to engage in advocacy at the policy level. These subsystems include organizations (the microsystem), professional bodies (the mesosystem), public policies (the exosystem), and societal values (the macrosystem). On the basis of this adapted model, we recommend changes among modifiable elements of the microsystem and mesosystem that can help position nurses (ecologically and collectively) to advocate for public policy change and use examples from a Canadian context to illustrate these points. We believe that the ideas arising from this model can be widely used where policy action on the social determinants of health is needed to inform, guide, and frame change efforts and advocacy work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nurses' expertise and recommendations from nurses are essential sources of opinions and recommendations for policy development. Nurses must be actively involved in politics, and nursing could play an essential role in shaping health policy. However, the influence of political efficacy, political astuteness, and health policy advocacy exposes a gap in the current knowledge. Design and Methods: The study utilized descriptive correlational design and mediating analysis. Purposive sampling was used to select six hospitals in Ghana, and simple random sampling was used to select five hundred and seventy-nine nurses. The study used the Political Efficacy Scale, Social Justice Advocacy Scale, and the Political Astuteness Inventory. The data were analyzed by mean and Standard deviation, Pearson coefficient, ANOVA, and GLS mediation. Results: Nurses in Ghana had a low political efficacy and health policy advocacy. Moreover, political astuteness had moderate astuteness. A Pearson Correlation coefficient showed a moderately significant positive relationship between political efficacy and health policy advocacy. Furthermore, political astuteness and health policy advocacy showed a statistically significant low positive relationship. There was no significant difference in political efficacy and health policy advocacy when age, academic qualification, nurses' rank, and years of professional experience were considered. Political astuteness partially mediated the relationship between political efficacy and health policy advocacy. Conclusion: Nurses in Ghana have limited belief in their ability to understand and affect politics and have limited participation in healthcare advocacy initiatives. Furthermore, nurse respondents have the adequate ability of a nurse to understand political knowledge, political participation, and legislative understanding to advocate health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prices private insurers negotiate with health care organizations and clinicians have historically been confidential. Since the early 2000s, privately insured patients have faced increasing out-of-pocket costs and demanded more information about variability in negotiated prices, some of which has slowly become available. This article argues that fragmentation in US health care delivery streams and shortcomings in formal quality measures mean that the value of making prices transparent is in its usefulness as a tool for policymakers and regulators rather than for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to identify the gaps in prelicensure nursing curriculum regarding the teaching and learning of policy advocacy and the necessary nursing leadership competencies that are significant in addressing social determinants of health at an upstream, policy level and to discuss how current prelicensure nursing curricula integrates and applies concepts of population health, policy advocacy, and nursing leadership competencies. The authors performed a conceptual review of the literature, analyzing the current, evidence-based scholarship on the topic in an effort to categorize and describe relevant concepts and outline a relationship between them, by combining the concept terms nursing leadership, policy advocacy, population health policy, nursing education, and social determinants of health. The conceptual review identified gaps in nursing education regarding the preparation of nursing graduates for leadership engagement at the policy level, which presents opportunities for future research and exploration. This article shares the thematic gaps, major findings, and recommendations that resulted. Continued effort should be invested into the development of more robust discussions and curriculum related to population health advocacy and the impact on population health in baccalaureate nursing educational programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although gun owners overwhelmingly support violence prevention policies, they are hesitant to speak up publicly to advocate for these policies. We tested a series of communication messages on gun owners' level of support for various firearm violence prevention policies and on their willingness to engage in gun violence prevention advocacy. Methods: We conducted three consecutive experiments, testing a total of thirteen messages on a sample of gun owners over 18 years old who live in the U.S. The first was a random experiment, the second a quasi-experiment, and the third a randomized control trial. The goal of having these varied methods was to develop messages applicable to different contexts with different levels of information about the audience. Results: The most effective message was a script showing respect for gun owners' decisions to purchase a firearm and proposing a balanced policy roadmap to end gun violence, which led to an increase in gun owner's willingness to engage in eight different advocacy activities. We also found a value-based message conveying loyalty to increase support for domestic violence related prohibitions and willingness to engage in advocacy for gun violence prevention policies. Conclusions: Public health professionals need to develop communication strategies that are aligned with gun owners' values and that affirm respect for gun culture and for gun owners' decisions to own a gun. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the expertise of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), it is important to include their voices in disability legislation. Although, historically, parents of children with IDD have spearheaded disability policy, in the past few decades, parent legislative advocacy has been minimal. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a legislative advocacy program for parents of individuals with IDD. Specifically, using an intervention and wait list control group, we sought to determine whether the legislative advocacy program resulted in increases in special education knowledge, empowerment, and civic engagement. We found that intervention (vs. the wait list control) group participants demonstrated significant increases in special education knowledge and empowerment. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors offer observation on the focus of the Australian Government to restrict and limit the supply of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Topics discussed include influence of health policy leadership in Australia to other nations, release of the National Tobacco Strategy 2023-30 by the government, and effort of Australia to tackle both vaping and smoking in young people.

The article shares insight on the convergence of crises in the U.S. including the shortfall of veteran truckers, supply chain disruption and the metabolic syndrome prevalent among truckers. Emphasis is given on the need for structural and policy actions to enhance trucker health, build financial sustainability and improve working conditions. It discusses the importance of advocating metabolic risk mitigation educational programs that promote healthy diet, weight reduction and physical activity.

The present work empirically explores whether experts are trusted more or more persuasive than an "average Joe" when engaging in policy advocacy on public health topics. I conducted a 2 (topic: climate change vs. COVID-19) X 2 (source: expert vs. nonexpert) experimental study with an US adult sample (N = 486). Using Bayes factors to quantify evidence for null and alternative hypothesis, I find substantial evidence that at least under the conditions present in the study, experts are perceived to be higher in expertise, but equal in trustworthiness to the "average Joe". In turn, experts are equally persuasive to nonexperts on both topics. My work suggests that when engaging in policy advocacy on public health matters, the fact that an advocate is an expert on a topic can be acknowledged by audiences, but this may not necessarily help (nor necessarily harm) one's perceived trustworthiness or ability to persuade an audience. More research is needed to understand how experts can bolster their trustworthiness and persuasiveness when advocating for public health policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults with disabilities have long been at the forefront of disability advocacy in the United States. Grounded in the tenets of radical disability studies and principles of disability justice, this study explored the lived experiences of 12 adults with disabilities, including intellectual disability and developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on self‐advocacy. Two focus groups were primary data sources. Three participants and one university‐based researcher analyzed the data collaboratively. Iterative data collection and analysis yielded 8 primary codes and 22 subcodes. We discuss a subset of our findings, focusing on three major themes. The findings illuminated how adults with disabilities conceptualised self‐advocacy expansively, including self, other, and the collective. Participants also described problems they faced advocating. Finally, adults with disabilities shared solutions to inequities at individual, group, and societal levels. This project illustrates the importance of centering adults with disabilities in research and policy with implications for future thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indiana State Museum's Fix: Heartbreak and Hope: Inside Our Opioid Crisis is the first large-scale exhibit dedicated to the opioid epidemic. It involves diverse groups of visitors in learning about the history and science of opioid use disorder, making decisions that will help resolve the opioid crisis, and practicing techniques that for many people are essential to long-term recovery. By reviewing the different components of the exhibit, I show how the exhibit can serve as a basic model for advancing health promotion in museums. The exhibit illuminates the ways interactive health exhibits can engage adult visitors, reduce stigma, provide knowledge that visitors can use to exercise control over their health, and expand awareness of the need for evidence-based approaches to public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are disproportionately affected by disparities in the United States (U.S.) healthcare system due to medical miscommunications, misdiagnoses, and treatment errors. The purpose of this commentary is to provide an overarching social-ecological perspective on how to enhance patient-centered communication for patients who have LEP. Based on the social-ecological model and the responsibilities and competencies for health education specialists, we propose five multi-level calls to action that health education specialists can work toward over the next decade: (1) develop easy-to-understand print and multimedia materials and signage for adults who have LEP; (2) provide language assistance from trained medical interpreters through in-person, telephonic, and/or telemedicine support; (3) apply culturally inclusive pedagogical practices within all healthcare systems; (4) plan, implement, and evaluate community health information interpretation services; and (5) advocate for policies that support no-cost medical language assistance for all patients who have LEP. By embracing these calls to action, health education specialists will better address unique patient-provider communication barriers that disproportionately affect U.S. patients with LEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary Health Care (PHC) is the backbone of health systems and a cornerstone of Universal Health Coverage. In 2018, political commitment to PHC, including a comprehensive approach based on essential care throughout the lifespan, integrated public health functions, and community empowerment was reaffirmed by international stakeholders in Astana. As recent events exposed weaknesses of health care systems worldwide, growing attention has been paid to strengthening PHC. While the role of care providers as health advocates has been recognized, they may lack skills, opportunities, and resources to actively engage in advocacy. Particularly for PHC providers, guidance and tools on how to advocate to strengthen PHC are scarce. In this article, we review priority policy areas for PHC strengthening with relevance for several settings and health care systems and propose approaches to empower PHC providers--physician, non-physician, or informal PHC providers--to advocate for strengthening PHC in their countries by individual or collective action. We provide initial ideas for a stepwise advocacy strategy and recommendations for practical advocacy activities. Our aim is to initiate further discussion on how to strengthen health care provider driven advocacy for PHC and to encourage advocates in the field to reflect on their opportunities for local, national, and global action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy PointsIn 2012, Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana through voter‐initiated ballots. In these states, counties could restrict or ban local marijuana facilities through a variety of regulatory methods such as ordinances and zoning.County‐level recreational marijuana policies in Washington and Colorado vary substantially, with 69.2% of Washington counties and 23.4% of Colorado counties allowing all types of recreational marijuana facilities as of April 1, 2019.After Colorado and Washington legalized recreational marijuana, many counties modified their marijuana policies over time, with shifts in county policy often preceded by advocacy and information‐seeking activities. Context: In 2012, Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. Both allowed local governments to further regulate the availability of marijuana facilities in their jurisdictions. As early adopters, these states are important quasi‐natural experiments to examine local marijuana policy and policy change processes, including key stakeholders and arguments. Methods: We conducted a policy scan of county‐level recreational marijuana ordinances and regulations in Colorado and Washington. Data collected included policy documents from counties in both states and newspaper articles. We used a mixed‐methods approach to describe the types of county‐level recreational marijuana policies enacted by April 1, 2019; identify key policy stakeholders involved in local policy debates; and explore arguments used in support or opposition of county policies. We also selected four counties that represent three county policy environments (all marijuana facility types allowed, some marijuana facility types allowed, all marijuana facility types prohibited) and described the policy changes within these counties since recreational marijuana was legalized. Findings: By April 1, 2019, Colorado counties were less likely than Washington counties to allow marijuana facilities—48.4% of Colorado counties prohibited recreational marijuana facilities in their jurisdiction compared to 23.1% of Washington counties. Since state legalization, several counties in both states have made substantial marijuana facility policy modifications, often preceded by information‐seeking activities. Primary stakeholders involved in policy debates included elected officials, law enforcement, individual growers/farmers, marijuana business license applicants, parents, and residents. Proponents referenced local economic gain, reduced crime, and potential health benefits of marijuana as arguments in favor of permitting local facilities, whereas opponents pointed to economic loss, negative health and public health issues, public safety concerns, and existing federal law. Both sides referenced local public opinion data to support their position. Conclusions: By early 2019, a patchwork of local marijuana policies was in place in Colorado and Washington. We identify key areas of policy and public health research needed to inform future local marijuana policy decisions, including the impact of legalization on public health outcomes (particularly for youth) and public safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: This study explores the role of the public health advocacy coalition in alcohol policy development in Ireland. Compared with industry actors, much less is known about the membership, activities and influence of public health advocates in alcohol policymaking. To address this gap, this paper identifies several advocacy strategies, drawn from the advocacy coalition framework and other policy theories, and then analyses them in the context of recent Irish developments. Methods: The study used theory‐building process‐tracing to construct a record of the public health advocacy coalition and its campaign to promote the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 in Ireland. Specifically, we drew upon 131 primary documents produced by advocates, 464 newspaper articles and 18 semi‐structured interviews with key advocates, public health experts and elected officials to undertake a thematic analysis. Results: Public health advocates in Ireland have developed sophisticated political strategies to foster major alcohol policy change. First, public health advocates led the formation of a broad‐based advocacy coalition that helped members to effectively pool their limited resources as well as coordinate their strategy and messaging. Secondly, issue‐framing and message discipline played a key role in the coalition's success. Advocates strategically focused upon the policy problem, specifically health harms, rather than the detailed content of the proposed measures. Finally, there is evidence of political learning, where advocates' prior experiences and knowledge of the political system in Ireland spurred innovations in campaigning. These strategies were interdependent and mutually reinforcing, and succeeded in building support for public health advocates' preferred policies among politicians and the general public. Discussion/conclusion: There are distinct capabilities that public health actors can mobilize in the policy process to win alcohol policy debates and capitalize on the constraints on industry influence on alcohol policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy PointsThis article describes a strategic combination of research, advocacy, corporate campaigns, communications, grassroots mobilization, legislation, regulatory actions, and litigation against companies and government to secure a national policy to remove artificial trans fat from the US food system.Sharing lessons we learned can help inform policymakers, academics, policy practitioners, and students across disciplines. Some of our lessons are that system change means that all consumers benefit without the need for individual behavior change; research can both identify opportunities to improve health and support policy adoption; policy efforts can serve as public education campaigns; policy campaigns can drive marketplace changes; and engaging forward‐thinking companies can diffuse opposition to passing a policy. Context: For many decades, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (PHO), the primary source of artificial trans fat in the American diet, was used widely in processed and restaurant foods. In the early 1990s, studies linked the consumption of artificial trans fat with heart disease. This article details how research and advocacy led to eliminating artificial trans fat from the US food supply. Methods: We synthesized published studies of the health impact of trans fat, the legislative history of state and local trans fat bills, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) regulatory docket on trans fat labeling and its declaration that PHOs are no longer Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), and our own files, which included strategy documents, notes from meetings with the FDA staff, correspondence between advocates and the FDA, fact sheets, press releases, news clips, and other materials. Findings: This history of trans fat provides insights into policy strategy and advocacy best practices that resulted in the removal of trans fat from food in the United States, preventing an estimated 50,000 premature deaths a year. The lessons we learned are that system change benefits all consumers without the need for individual behavior change; research can both identify opportunities to improve health through policy and support policy adoption; policy campaigns can serve as public education campaigns; policy can drive changes to products and the marketplace; and engaging forward‐thinking companies can help diffuse opposition to passing a policy. Securing this policy required the persistence of scientists and health advocates in first discovering the risks and then using the science to secure policies to mitigate the identified harm. Conclusions: An understanding of the tactics used to help attain the targeted policies and how challenges were addressed (such as through communications, leveraging an expanding research base and expert reports, showing that a national policy was feasible through voluntary corporate changes and state and local policy, and litigation against companies and government agencies) may provide a model for scientists, students, advocates, and policymakers. We hope this account will inform efforts to address other public health challenges, such as the current threats of excessive exposure to sodium and added sugars, which persist in the US food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the extent and key characteristics of academic research and scholarship on the public health community's use of social media for policy advocacy purposes. This will enable an evaluation of extant research and provide insight into directions for future research. This study was a scoping review of academic literature. A scoping review of academic literature published between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2020 was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses framework. Boolean searches were conducted using a university library platform, which included databases, such as EBSCO host, Informit, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Data were extracted using an a priori code frame, and publication, content, and disciplinary characteristics were analysed. The results of coding and screening comparison checks were within acceptable limits. In total, 2672 works from around the world were identified and screened for inclusion. Twenty-two English language articles were included in the final analysis. The public health community's use of social media for policy advocacy purposes has largely been approached from a health perspective, despite research and scholarship about social media in communication and policy disciplines (among others). Reported research aims or questions emphasised functional rather than theoretical contributions. Most analysed works used empirical or case study–based methods and were produced by authors in Western geographies. Among the health issues discussed, tobacco and tobacco control were discussed most frequently. While recognising issues with social media, most publications framed social media as more of an opportunity than a problem. The public health community's use of social media for policy advocacy purposes is an emerging field. There is considerable potential to expand scholarship and research in this field internationally, especially by integrating transdisciplinary knowledge and perspectives and by applying social media to foster policy change around identified global health challenges. Greater representation of authors from institutions in the Global South is also encouraged, as are applied and theoretical contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nursing Government Affairs Advocacy (NGAA) Fellowship is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Nursing and the Office of Government Affairs at a university in the Midwestern region of the US. This article discusses the history of the NGAA Fellowship, the Fellow accomplishments, and the future of the Fellowship. The Nursing Government Affairs Advocacy (NGAA) Fellowship is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Department of Nursing and the Office of Government Affairs at a university in the Midwestern region of the United States. This article discusses the history of the NGAA Fellowship, the Fellow accomplishments, and the future of the Fellowship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North America's overdose crisis is an urgent public health issue that has resulted in thousands of deaths. As the crisis began to take hold across Canada in 2016, bereaved parents, mainly mothers, emerged as vocal advocates for drug policy reform and harm reduction, using their stories to challenge the stigma of drug-related death. In 2017, we launched a qualitative research partnership with leading family organizations in Canada, conducting interviews with 43 mothers whose children had died from substance use, to understand their experiences of drug policy advocacy. Our findings showed that participants' motivations for engaging in advocacy were rooted in their experiences of grief, and that advocacy led to feelings of empowerment and connection to others. Our research suggests that advocacy can be cathartic and associated with healing from grief, but that "going public" in sharing a family story of substance use death can also have a considerable personal cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of older people, often perpetrated by family and friends, is a complex multidimensional social problem. In most Australian jurisdictions, responses are currently limited to either primary-level (information, education and referral) or tertiary-level statutory responses. Outside of Australia, Family Group Conferencing has partially addressed this secondary-level service gap by inviting the older person and their wider family system to identify and establish a family-led plan to address potential or actual risk of abuse. This paper presents the core processes of Family Group Conferencing, including the quality of the established evidence base for its use with older people. The limitations and caveats associated with this approach are explored, and a way forward is proposed to explore the utility and suitability of Family Group Conferencing for adults in Australia in response to some types and severities of abuse and mistreatment. The abuse of older people is complex and under-reported, and many older people choose to take no action as a large proportion of perpetrators are family members. Limited Australian responses focus on either primary prevention or tertiary-level statutory responses. Family Group Conferencing may enhance secondary-level service responses to abuse, mobilising the older person's protective networks, and reducing the risk of abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a thematic issue of Transcultural Psychiatry that presents recent work that deepens our understanding of the refugee experience—from the forces of displacement, through the trajectory of migration, to the challenges of resettlement. Mental health research on refugees and asylum seekers has burgeoned over the past two decades with epidemiological studies, accounts of the lived experience, new conceptual frameworks, and advances in understanding of effective treatment and intervention. However, there are substantial gaps in available research, and important ethical and methodological challenges. These include: the need to adopt decolonizing, participatory methods that amplify refugee voices; the further development of frameworks for studying the broad impacts of forced migration that go beyond posttraumatic stress disorder; and more translational research informed by longitudinal studies of the course of refugee adaptation. Keeping a human rights advocacy perspective front and center will allow researchers to work in collaborative ways with both refugee communities and receiving societies to develop innovative mental health policy and practice to meet the urgent need for a global response to the challenge of forced migration, which is likely to grow dramatically in the coming years as a result of the impacts of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a growth in Australian school-based nurses to address the inequities confronted by vulnerable students and school populations. Failure to address inequities can be evidenced in intergenerational poverty, poorer health and educational attainment and diminished life opportunities. School-based nurses are ideally located to advocate for public health policies and programs that address social determinants that detrimentally affect the health of school populations. However, school-based nurses can confront professional and speciality challenges in extending their efforts beyond individual student advocacy to effect change at the school population level. Guidance is required to redress this situation. This paper describes public health advocacy, the professional and speciality advocacy roles of school-based nurses and the barriers they confront in advocating for the health of school populations and strategies that can be used by key stakeholders to enhance school-based nursing public health advocacy efforts. School-based nurses who are competent, enabled and supported public health advocates are required if we are to achieve substantial and sustained health equity and social justice outcomes for vulnerable school populations. School-based nurses are ideally located to advocate for services and policies to address the health inequities experienced by vulnerable school populations. However, these nurses can confront barriers that limit their capacity to embed health advocacy into their practice and to meaningfully effect change. Guidance is required to redress this situation. School-based nurses who are competent and supported health advocates are required to achieve substantial and sustained health equity and social justice outcomes for vulnerable students and school populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]