Changes in Australian community perceptions of non-communicable disease prevention: a greater role for government?

Grunseit, AC; Howse, E; Bohn-Goldbaum, E; Mitchell, J; Bauman, AE

Changes in Australian community perceptions of non-communicable disease prevention: a greater role for government?

Grunseit, AC Howse, E Bohn-Goldbaum, E Mitchell, J Bauman, AE

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Publisher:: BioMed Central
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: BMC Public Health, 2021, 21, (1), pp. 1-12
Issue Date:: 2021-11-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Grunseit, AC
dc.contributor.author	Howse, E
dc.contributor.author	Bohn-Goldbaum, E
dc.contributor.author	Mitchell, J
dc.contributor.author	Bauman, AE
dc.date.accessioned	2022-03-01T02:09:22Z
dc.date.available	2021-11-02
dc.date.available	2022-03-01T02:09:22Z
dc.date.issued	2021-11-15
dc.identifier.citation	BMC Public Health, 2021, 21, (1), pp. 1-12
dc.identifier.issn	1471-2458
dc.identifier.issn	1471-2458
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154927
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Monitoring trends in community opinion can identify critical opportunities to implement upstream health policies or interventions. Our study examines change and demographic modifiers of change in community perceptions of government intervention for prevention of lifestyle-related chronic disease across two time points in Australia. METHODS: Data were drawn from the 2016 (n = 2052) and 2018 (n = 2601) waves of a nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey, 'AUSPOPS'. Survey questions gauged perceptions of government intervention for health in general, peoples'/organizations' role in maintaining health (e.g., parents, government) and support for specific health interventions (e.g., taxing soft drink). Bivariate and multivariate regression models tested for change between the two surveys, adjusted for demographic characteristics. Models with interactions between survey wave and demographic variables tested for differential change. One-tailed variance ratio tests examined whether opinions had become more polarized in 2018 compared with 2016. RESULTS: The large, significant increase observed in the perceived size of the role that government has in maintaining people's health was uniform across demographic subpopulations. The role for employers and private health insurers was also perceived to be larger in 2018 compared with 2016, but the degree of change varied by gender, age and/or socioeconomic status. Support for some government interventions (e.g., taxing soft drinks) increased among specific demographic subgroups whilst exhibiting no overall change. Opinion was more polarized on general attitudes to government intervention for population health in 2018 compared to 2016, despite little change in central tendency. CONCLUSIONS: Opportunities may exist to implement government health-promoting policies (e.g., taxing soft drinks), although advocacy may be needed to address the concerns of less supportive subpopulations. Attitudes on government intervention in general may be becoming more polarized; future research examining the association of such changes with exposure to different information sources could inform communication strategies for future health policy change.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	BioMed Central
dc.relation.ispartof	BMC Public Health
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1186/s12889-021-12159-9
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.classification	Public Health
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Government
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Noncommunicable Diseases
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Government
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Noncommunicable Diseases
dc.title	Changes in Australian community perceptions of non-communicable disease prevention: a greater role for government?
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	21
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2022-03-01T02:09:19Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	21
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Monitoring trends in community opinion can identify critical opportunities to implement upstream health policies or interventions. Our study examines change and demographic modifiers of change in community perceptions of government intervention for prevention of lifestyle-related chronic disease across two time points in Australia. METHODS: Data were drawn from the 2016 (n = 2052) and 2018 (n = 2601) waves of a nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey, 'AUSPOPS'. Survey questions gauged perceptions of government intervention for health in general, peoples'/organizations' role in maintaining health (e.g., parents, government) and support for specific health interventions (e.g., taxing soft drink). Bivariate and multivariate regression models tested for change between the two surveys, adjusted for demographic characteristics. Models with interactions between survey wave and demographic variables tested for differential change. One-tailed variance ratio tests examined whether opinions had become more polarized in 2018 compared with 2016. RESULTS: The large, significant increase observed in the perceived size of the role that government has in maintaining people's health was uniform across demographic subpopulations. The role for employers and private health insurers was also perceived to be larger in 2018 compared with 2016, but the degree of change varied by gender, age and/or socioeconomic status. Support for some government interventions (e.g., taxing soft drinks) increased among specific demographic subgroups whilst exhibiting no overall change. Opinion was more polarized on general attitudes to government intervention for population health in 2018 compared to 2016, despite little change in central tendency. CONCLUSIONS: Opportunities may exist to implement government health-promoting policies (e.g., taxing soft drinks), although advocacy may be needed to address the concerns of less supportive subpopulations. Attitudes on government intervention in general may be becoming more polarized; future research examining the association of such changes with exposure to different information sources could inform communication strategies for future health policy change.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/154927