RE: AJPH article:

To clarify my point, I didn't intend to indicate that food security
programs are an acceptable "answer", but working toward providing people
with adequate incomes to address their needs tomorrow and providing the
support they need today are not mutually exclusive activities. My reference
to food security programs was used because the research article reflected
an obvious cultural divide between the described health promotion practices
and the day-to-day reality of the people in St-Henri. Food security
programs reach these people and through such programs a clearer, more
meaningful and more compassionate health promotion strategy could evolve.
 At least, that's our experience and objective at OPHA.  Meanwhile, we've
also written Paul Martin and made our views on child poverty abundently
clear.

Peter Elson

-----Original Message-----
From:   Sherrie Tingley [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Tuesday, December 07, 1999 11:09 AM
Subject:        Re: "Poor too busy surviving to worry about disease prevention"
artic le in AJPH

Hi all,

I am watching this discussion with interest.

I am afraid I can not agree with you Peter about the clues from food
security, to me food security programs are saying that the level of people
income is okay and that it is okay that poor people have to turn to
programs to meet their basic needs.  Thus we create a gatekeeping system
for meeting basic needs with no opportunity to claim the right to those
needs being met.  Can poor people claim that the food bank did not
adequately meet their needs?  NO!  But as we weave an increasingly complex
system for poor people to maneuver to meet their needs we drain energy away
from people.  And the more programs we set up the more problems we create.

S

----------
From:   Peter Elson[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]


I suggest that there may be some clues about the contribution health
promotion could play with respect to low income groups which, in fact, are
occuring in areas such as food security. First, the "top down" social
marketing model has to be put aside. Second,  health promotion has to be
slowly and delicately weaved into strategies and supports which meet the
day-to-days needs of people, whether that be soup kitchens or food banks.
Third, eat some humble pie - health promotion is not a substitute for food,
literacy, education, housing and a good job.

Peter R. Elson