Comments on: Violence as a Public Health Issue http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/05/04/violence-as-a-public-health-issue/ An unbiased look at today's health care issues Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:53:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Daniel S. Goldberg http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/05/04/violence-as-a-public-health-issue/#comment-151916 Daniel S. Goldberg Mon, 05 May 2008 17:20:58 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/?p=926#comment-151916 Why do we have to think of it as akin to a infectious disease to think of it as a public health issue? Surely public health policies are not limited merely to infectious diseases, as many of our most pressing public health issues do not fit within traditional models of ID, including most chronic illnesses. If, for example, you believe the good evidence that social and economic conditions are primary determinants of health, it becomes obvious that violence is indeed a public health concern. Richard Wilkinson, among others, has made a career out of documenting the significantly higher rates of violence that attend societies with larger wealth disparities. In turn, the evidence that such societies sustain significantly lower health outcomes suggests that violence may play a significant role in promoting or undermining public health. My question -- not so much for you as in general -- is who really believes that violence is NOT a public health concern? Why do we have to think of it as akin to a infectious disease to think of it as a public health issue? Surely public health policies are not limited merely to infectious diseases, as many of our most pressing public health issues do not fit within traditional models of ID, including most chronic illnesses.

If, for example, you believe the good evidence that social and economic conditions are primary determinants of health, it becomes obvious that violence is indeed a public health concern. Richard Wilkinson, among others, has made a career out of documenting the significantly higher rates of violence that attend societies with larger wealth disparities. In turn, the evidence that such societies sustain significantly lower health outcomes suggests that violence may play a significant role in promoting or undermining public health.

My question — not so much for you as in general — is who really believes that violence is NOT a public health concern?

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