Bridging the gap between knowledge and action on the societal determinants of cardiovascular disease: how one Canadian community effort hit – and hurdled – the lifestyle wall Available to Purchase

An expanding conceptual and research literature identifies cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the disease whose incidence varies most, according to income level. To date however, there has been virtually no public consideration in Canada of the role that societal factors play in its incidence. In an attempt to redress this gap, a community coalition brought together the latest research on the societal determinants of CVD. Barriers to public awareness and public policy action to address these societal determinants of health included the unwillingness of health care associations to consider societal determinants of health as relevant to their activities; general resistance by the media; and active attempts by governments of the day to shift focus away from societal determinants of health. Considering these barriers, university personnel involvement appears essential to any attempt to identify and address the societal determinants of CVD and other diseases.