A scientific rationale for making changes to the law that governs cross-sectoral collaboration on the issues of public health

Abstract

Introduction. Interaction between different government sectors and society on the issues of public health and health promotion is not often sustainable. It has mostly a piecemeal and declarative approach. The aspects of this interaction are both not scientifically founded and adequately fixed in the legislation The aim of the study is to establish scientific rationale and to develop proposals for changes to the law that governs cross-sectoral collaboration on the issues of public health. Material and methods. A review and analysis of scientific literature and current federal and regional laws that govern healthcare industry tools and strategies were conducted. The study was undertaken in the Saratov region, which is a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, to study the following aspects of health care industry in the region: socioeconomic impact of the region on medical and social programs; health promotion activities of legislative and executive branches of the government, cross-sectoral Coordinating Councils, the department of Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare), and the Center for Medical Preventive Measures. Health status and life style, preventive medical measures at 92 organizations, the results of anonymous questionnaire survey of more than 10,000 respondents (general public, healthcare industry officials, experts) were also analyzed. The obtained results have provided the underlying rationale for proposing changes to the legislation managing public health. Results. Technique for optimization of cross-sectoral collaboration for assessment of health promotion activities has been developed and tested. This technique is based on the impact of 23 identified sectors on both the determinants of health (37 of them were established) and the simple and complex informative vectors of computer-controlled system of assessment of health promotion activities and other results of the study. The technique was instrumental in proposing changes to the law, which governs the issues of public health. The changes proposed concern the determination of health promotion, its guidelines, organizational principles, assessment, and quality control. Conclusion. The study results provide the authors with the possibility to scientifically substantiate the necessity in making changes to the current legislation managing public health and developing improvement proposals.