Public Health Advocacy Creating Community Change to Improve Health

Much that affects health is beyond the reach of the individual - violence in the streets, pollution of air & water, shortage of health-care facilities, second-hand smoke, lack of nutrition education. Enter the advocates: the grassroots groups who realize that many improvements in health require changes in laws, policies or practices. And these changes can only be achieved by groups of people working together with the clout & the know-how to get things done. Althought PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCACY will be read by established groups, it is primarily intended for those who are new to the field. It takes the new advocate systematically through a series of steps, including formation of a group; background research; an overview of advocacy "etiquette"; choice of objectives; strategic planning; selection of tactics; techniques for responding to the opposition; creative suggestions for using the media & methods of evaluating a campaign. The handbook also includes sample graphs & worksheets, in addition to case histories & resources for further study. The handbook was written by five experts from Stanford University & from the Universities of Kansas, Illinois & Montana who combine academic knowledge of the subject with practical advocacy experience. Order from Stanford Center, 1000 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1885. (415) 723-0003.Altman, David G. is the author of 'Public Health Advocacy Creating Community Change to Improve Health' with ISBN 9781879552128 and ISBN 1879552124.