Be sure to check out this interesting article by Andre Picard, public health
writer for the Globe & Mail newspaper. In it, he looks back at the 1974
report called "A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians", more commonly
referred to as the Lalonde Report, and he finds that the focus was on a
range of non-medical factors that have an impact on our health - basic
determinants of health, and considers how timely and current the Lalonde
Report is today.

Picard comments: "The report, sadly, noted that its message would be a hard
sell in a world fixated on short-term gain. 'There is the paradox of
everyone agreeing to the importance of research and prevention, yet
continuing to increase disproportionately the amount spent on treating
existing illness.'

Since then, Canadians have spent an eye-popping $1.65-trillion (yes,
trillion) on health care -- only about 2 per cent of the total has gone to
prevention. "

Hopefully, there will be responses to this fine article.

From the Globe and Mail: Keep people healthy in the first place
 By ANDRÉ PICARD PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER Thursday, June 24, 2004 - Page A19

'Good health is the bedrock on which social progress is built. A nation of
healthy people can do those things that make life worthwhile, and as the
level of health increases so does the potential for happiness."
<http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040624/HPICARD
24/Health/Idx>

[with thanks to the Contact-NRC elist and the SDOH elist for posting the
link]

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