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] To unsubscribe send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] . To view archives or modify subscription see: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/click4hp.html