Are Perceptions of Government Intervention Related to Support for Prevention? An Australian Survey Study.

Grunseit, AC; Howse, E; Williams, J; Bauman, AE

Are Perceptions of Government Intervention Related to Support for Prevention? An Australian Survey Study.

Grunseit, AC Howse, E Williams, J Bauman, AE

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Healthcare (Basel), 2023, 11, (9), pp. 1246
Issue Date:: 2023-04-27

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Grunseit, AC
dc.contributor.author	Howse, E
dc.contributor.author	Williams, J
dc.contributor.author	Bauman, AE
dc.date.accessioned	2023-10-05T00:59:13Z
dc.date.available	2023-04-24
dc.date.available	2023-10-05T00:59:13Z
dc.date.issued	2023-04-27
dc.identifier.citation	Healthcare (Basel), 2023, 11, (9), pp. 1246
dc.identifier.issn	2227-9032
dc.identifier.issn	2227-9032
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/172507
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: In Australia, despite the success of tobacco control policy interventions, policymakers remain resistant to policy-based approaches to diet, alcohol, physical inactivity and obesity, concerned about community perceptions of such interventions as "nanny-statist". We examined how people's general positions on government intervention related to their positions on different preventive policy options. METHODS: Data were from a 2018 nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey of 2601 Australian adults. Survey questions related to endorsement of different conceptualisations of government intervention (nanny state, paternalistic, shared responsibility and communitarian) and support for specific health interventions, using forced-choice questions about preferences for individual/treatment measures versus population/preventive health measures. We analysed associations between scores on different conceptualisations of government intervention and support of different policy options for tobacco and diet, and preferences for prevention over treatment. RESULTS: The Nanny State Scale showed an inverse relationship with support for tobacco- and diet-related interventions, and alternative conceptualisations (paternalistic, shared responsibility and communitarian) showed a positive relationship. Effect sizes in all cases were small. Those aged 55+ demonstrated greater support for policy action on tobacco and diet, and greater preference for systemic rather than individual-level interventions. CONCLUSION: General disposition towards government intervention, although correlated with support for specific policy actions, is not deterministic.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Healthcare (Basel)
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/healthcare11091246
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
dc.subject.classification	42 Health sciences
dc.title	Are Perceptions of Government Intervention Related to Support for Prevention? An Australian Survey Study.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	11
utslib.location.activity	Switzerland
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	*
dc.date.updated	2023-10-05T00:59:12Z
pubs.issue	9
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	11
utslib.citation.issue	9

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: In Australia, despite the success of tobacco control policy interventions, policymakers remain resistant to policy-based approaches to diet, alcohol, physical inactivity and obesity, concerned about community perceptions of such interventions as "nanny-statist". We examined how people's general positions on government intervention related to their positions on different preventive policy options. METHODS: Data were from a 2018 nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey of 2601 Australian adults. Survey questions related to endorsement of different conceptualisations of government intervention (nanny state, paternalistic, shared responsibility and communitarian) and support for specific health interventions, using forced-choice questions about preferences for individual/treatment measures versus population/preventive health measures. We analysed associations between scores on different conceptualisations of government intervention and support of different policy options for tobacco and diet, and preferences for prevention over treatment. RESULTS: The Nanny State Scale showed an inverse relationship with support for tobacco- and diet-related interventions, and alternative conceptualisations (paternalistic, shared responsibility and communitarian) showed a positive relationship. Effect sizes in all cases were small. Those aged 55+ demonstrated greater support for policy action on tobacco and diet, and greater preference for systemic rather than individual-level interventions. CONCLUSION: General disposition towards government intervention, although correlated with support for specific policy actions, is not deterministic.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/172507