title: Social determinants of health and local government: understanding and uptake of ideas in two Australian states.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the awareness and perceptions of local government staff about the social determinants of health (SDoH) and health inequity and use of these ideas to shape policy and practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  96 staff at 17 councils in South Australia or New South Wales responded to questions in a pilot online survey concerning: sources of knowledge about, familiarity with the evidence on, attitudes towards, and uses of ideas about the social determinants of health. Eight of 68 SA councils and 16 of 152 NSW councils were randomly selected stratified by state and metropolitan status. Differences between states and metropolitan/non-metropolitan status were explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of respondents (88.4%) reported some familiarity with ideas about the broad determinants of health and 90% agreed that the impact of policy action on health determinants should be considered in all major government policy and planning initiatives. Research articles, government/professional reports, and professional contacts were rated as important sources of knowledge about the social determinants of health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resources need to be dedicated to systematic research on practical implementation of interventions on social determinants of health inequities and towards providing staff with more practical information about interventions and tools to evaluate those interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest there is support for action addressing the social determinants of health in local government. The findings extend similar research regarding SDoH and government in NZ and Canada to Australian local government.
authors: Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity, Flinders University, South Australia.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Lawless
authors: Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity, Flinders University, South Australia.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Lane
authors: School of Education, Flinders University, South Australia.
authors: Felicity-Ann
authors: FA
authors: Lewis
authors: Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity, Flinders University, South Australia.
authors: Fran
authors: F
authors: Baum
authors: Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Harris
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006076:Government; D006291:Health Policy; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D011050:Policy Making; D064890:Social Determinants of Health
keywords: health inequities; local government; social determinants of health