Abstract
Public health in an unequal world
Joint Editors
Welcome to this new year issue of Perspectives in Public Health. Astute readers and followers of the journal may have noticed on our website that we have included the following descriptions:
Promoting practice-based research and addressing inequalities in public health
It is an aim of the journal to publish quality articles that identify and address local, national and global inequalities and inequities.
Priority is given to articles that address economic, social or health inequalities and inequities that affect the health of the public. We are also committed to promoting the public health and voice of the global majority and diverse communities.
This followed various discussions of the Editorial Board, who agreed that the primary aim of the journal should be publishing articles that address inequalities and inequities. Perspectives is a values-based publication that wholly subscribes to the values of the RSPH. These are reflected in the RSPH’s vision that through addressing health inequalities, championing and building skills within the wider public health workforce, and ensuring the public’s health is everyone’s responsibility, people can live healthier lives and for longer. The hope for a healthier and longer life however is often determined by where we were born, our education, our social position, upbringing, our employment, wealth or poverty. Because the world is not equal, bringing a public health message must take into account the limitations of those messages unless inequalities are addressed. It is our intention therefore to increasingly publish research and practice articles that address inequalities and inequities in these areas:
The effects of the climate emergency
Unfair political and economic factors
Life expectancy
Access to healthcare
What keeps disadvantaged people well
Reducing infectious diseases
Maternal and child health
Gender disparities in poorer countries
Mental health and resilience
Geographic disparities
The list is not exhaustive, but we hope it clearly demonstrates the direction in which the editorial team wishes to take the journal. It is advisable that when preparing your article for submission that you firstly read the updated submission guidelines and any articles previously published by RSPH journals on your chosen topic to help inform the content of your submission.
In this current issue we are pleased to include an article authored by one of our Editorial Board members, Professor Jim McManus who until recently was president of the Association of Directors of Public Health. Since he wrote the article, he has been appointed as National Director of Health and Wellbeing for Wales. We wish him the very best in his new role. Jim’s article critiques the UK government’s Public Health Grant allocation. Other topics in this issue include: food insecurity (Choi and Kim) and Owens, hot food take-away planning (Moore et al.), war and hunger (Tayebi et al.), loneliness prevention (Crowe et al.), workplace health promotion (Blake et al.), ‘studentification’ and student wellbeing (Revington and Wray) and mental ill-health and the digital divide (Spanakis et al.).As we begin this new year, we would like to express our thanks to Matt Hobbs who steps down as Deputy Editor and give a warm welcome to Duncan Radley of Leeds Beckett University and Catherine Homer of Sheffield Hallam University who have both been appointed as Joint Deputy Editors.