What can health professionals contribute to the challenge of sustainability?

Public Health
G McCartney, Phil Hanlon

Abstract

Just as doctors have led aspects of social change in the past, health professionals today must contribute to and lead actions on sustainability. Exponential growth and unsustainability can be observed in the global population, energy use, money supply and greenhouse gas emissions. As with all unsustainable systems, they will become sustainable, but the timing and manner are undecided and carry profound health threats. We are trapped using outmoded forms of thinking and by our cognitive dissonance as we consider these threats in the light of our own lifestyles. The aim should be a transition that will lessen inequalities, combat problems such as obesity, depression and addictive behaviours, and improve well-being. The challenge is similar to other major public health issues in that the problem needs to be identified, evidence gathered, theories developed, alliances built, policies formulated and actions taken. This paper outlines how this can be done but suggests that the response needed will be unprecedented, and calls for action on what is known and debate about what is uncertain.

References

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Citations

Dec 5, 2009·Public Health·P Mackie, F Sim
Apr 22, 2015·Australian Health Review : a Publication of the Australian Hospital Association·Maggie JamiesonTara Boulding
May 15, 2013·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Luis Salvador-CarullaUNKNOWN eVITAL group
Oct 4, 2018·International Journal of Mental Health Nursing·Stephanie StewartBrenda Happell
Nov 1, 2012·Perspectives in Public Health·Phil HanlonDavid Reilly
Sep 20, 2012·Perspectives in Public Health·Phil HanlonDavid Reilly
May 28, 2019·Health Expectations : an International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy·Susan BarberJulie Reed
Nov 14, 2013·The Sociological Review·Jennifer Laws
Sep 10, 2014·Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities : JARID·Miguel Montenegro, Beth Greenhill
Nov 17, 2019·Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice·Michael LoughlinK W M Fulford
Oct 27, 2015·Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities : JARID·Val Williams, Sue Porter
Aug 18, 2016·International Journal of Health Services : Planning, Administration, Evaluation·Devaki NambiarShikha Gupta
May 13, 2014·Health Expectations : an International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy·Elena PizzoJames Barlow
Feb 14, 2020·Journal of Flood Risk Management·Sebastian SeebauerThomas Thaler

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