Social Determinants Survey

You are invited to complete a very brief on-line survey to identify the most important social determinants of health for Australians.

· A brief background and purpose of this survey is written below in this email.
· The survey will take no longer than 3 minutes of your time.
· The survey closing date is 14 May 2007
· Feel free to send this survey to your colleagues and networks.
· Please click on the link below to start the survey.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=255563480771

Background information

This survey is a project of the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Action Group; an initiative of the NSW Branches of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA), and the Council of Social Services of New South Wales (NCOSS).

The reason for this survey is to identify an Australian set of social determinants of health priorities. Based on the survey data, the SDoH Action Group plans to draw up an Australian Charter on the social determinants of health as Canada has done (Strengthening the Social Determinants of Health: The Toronto Charter for a Healthy Canada. February, 2003.
<http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/SHPM/torontoCharter1.pdf>). Our goal is to have these priorities ratified at the 'Population Health Congress 2008' being planned to be held in July 2008 in Brisbane.

The purpose of an Australian Charter is to gain consensus from a very wide range of people on the top ten social determinants of health from an Australian perspective. This information will then be used to develop an action plan to influence those determinants; to inform the media and the public of the social determinants of health and their influence on the health of individuals and communities; and as a tool to advocate for better, healthier public policies.

In order to establish consensus on the most important social determinants of health from an Australian perspective, we have identified a list of the social determinants of health. This list has been compiled from the international and local literature, and from consultation with participants at the AHPA and PHAA conferences in 2006. It is important to note that we have focused on determinants of health not specific population groups such as refugees, Aboriginal status, or low socioeconomic groups.

In this on-line survey we ask you to identify what you consider to be the ten most important social determinants of health.

Social Determinants of Health Action Group
Dr Garth Alperstein Ms Michelle Bonner Ms Suzanne Gleeson Prof.John MacDonald Dr Mark Ragg A/Prof Chris Rissel Mr Pete Whitecross Ms Marilyn Wise A/Prof Peter Sainsbury

If you have any questions please contact Suzanne Gleeson sglee@email.cs.nsw.gov.au or Dr Garth Alperstein alpersteing@email.cs.nsw.gov.au or A/Prof Chris Rissel criss@email.cs.nsw.gov.au


Please click on the link below to start the survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=255563480771