International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Why and How Political Science Can Contribute to Public Health? Proposals for Collaborative Research Avenues

Document Type : Perspective

Authors
France Gagnon 1
Pierre Bergeron 2
Carole Clavier 3
Patrick Fafard 4
Elisabeth Martin 5
Chantal Blouin 2
1 School of Administrative Sciences, TÉLUQ, Université du Québec, Quebec City, QC, Canada
2 Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
3 Department of Political Science, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
4 School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
5 Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
10.15171/ijhpm.2017.38
Abstract
Written by a group of political science researchers, this commentary focuses on the contributions of political science to public health and proposes research avenues to increase those contributions. Despite progress, the links between researchers from these two fields develop only slowly. Divergences between the approach of political science to public policy and the expectations that public health can have about the role of political science, are often seen as an obstacle to collaboration between experts in these two areas. Thus, promising and practical research avenues are proposed along with strategies to strengthen and develop them. Considering the interdisciplinary and intersectoral nature of population health, it is important to create a critical mass of researchers interested in the health of populations and in healthy public policy that can thrive working at the junction of political science and public health.
Keywords
Public Policy
Public Health
Research
Healthy Public Policies
Political Science
Subjects
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International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 6, Issue 9
2017
Pages 495-499

  • Received Date 23 November 2016
  • Revised Date 14 March 2017
  • Accepted Date 15 March 2017
  • First Published Date 01 September 2017
  • Published Date 01 September 2017