By Ted Bruce
Need we say more? Apparently yes. The evidence on the impact of low income on health such as that described by Dr. Patricia O’Campo just keeps piling up.
When many people working full time cannot get out of poverty. When many people working full time cannot get out of poverty. And when we ignore studies showing that acting on critical social determinants of health such as quality child care makes economic sense for our society, it is clear there is something very wrong. The need to invest in poverty reduction is an elephant on top of the table not under it. Fortunately, we know from other public health efforts that the evidence eventually does lead to action. Just consider the 12 great achievements in public health as recently documented by the Canadian Public Health ssociation: http://www.cpha.ca/en/programs/history/achievements.aspx.
It can be frustrating to see a lack of action, but that is all the more reason for public health practitioners to speak out about the evidence. Thank you Dr. O’Campo.
Ted Bruce is the Past President of the PHABC
Further reading:
Social policy is health policy. Vancouver Sun Opinion: Poverty linked to multiple health problems in new mothers, study finds | Patricia O’Campo | August 28 2013
BC’s welfare recipients need immediate relief | Seth Klein, Lorraine Copas, Adrienne Montani | April 24 2012
2012 Child Poverty Report Card | First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition | November 2012
15 by 15: A Comprehensive Policy Framework for Early Human Capital Investment in BC | Human Early Learning Partnership | August 2009