Do Canadian civil servants care about the health of populations?
OBJECTIVE
This article describes Canadian civil servants' awareness of, attitudes toward, and self-reported use of ideas about the determinants of health.


METHODS
Federal and provincial civil servants in departments of finance, labor, social services, and health were surveyed.


RESULTS
With civil servants in finance departments a notable exception, most Canadian civil servants see the health of populations as a relevant outcome for their sectors. Many (65%) report that ideas about the determinants of health have already influenced policymaking in their sector, but most (83%) say they need more information about the health consequences of the policy alternatives their departments face.


CONCLUSIONS
Civil servants should consider developing accountability structures for health and researchers should consider producing and transferring more policy-relevant research.
Lavis
John N
JN
Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis and the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. lavisj@mcmaster.ca
Ross
Suzanne E
SE
Stoddart
Gregory L
GL
Hohenadel
Joanne M
JM
McLeod
Christopher B
CB
Evans
Robert G
RG
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D003625:Data Collection; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011050:Policy Making; D011057:Politics; D011640:Public Policy; D012941:Social Responsibility