The Ottawa Charter

Term Paper # 115480

Medical and Health
Public Administration

The Ottawa Charter

An overview of the Ottawa Charter with a focus on building healthy public policy as it relates to heroin addiction in Australia.

1,139 words () | 9 sources | APA | 2009 Australia

Paper Summary:

This paper outlines the Ottawa Charter and focuses on one of the five main action areas, building healthy public policy, as it relates to the issue of heroin addiction in Australia. The major areas relating to heroin addiction that have proven to be successful are explored. Firstly, Federal Law Enforcement Policy on the "crackdown" on importing heroin; secondly, the needle exchange program, thirdly, the heroin substitution and maintenance programs, and finally, the medically supervised injecting facility.

From the Paper:

"Heroin addiction is a huge issue in Australia, the major health implications are both fatal and non fatal overdoses, HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B. Simpson et al. (2004) point out that of all illicit drugs, heroin has the most severe health consequences, these include collapsed veins, abscesses through injecting and damage to the heart and lungs. Sharing needles and syringes can greatly increase the risk of contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS, these blood borne diseases are transmitted from sharing contaminated injecting equipment. Needles are most likely to be shared due to lack of financial resources or lack of availability of sterile equipment. The risk is not just to the drug users themselves, but also to the non injecting community by way of a flow on effect. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Bell, J & Zador, D 2000, 'A risk-benefit analysis of methadone maintenance treatment', Drug Safety, vol. 22 pp.179-190
"Funding model options of dispensing pharmacotherapies for opoid dependence in community pharmacy' Australia Journal of Pharmacy 2007 vol. 88, no. 1052 pp 85-88.
Islam, MM & Conigrave KM 2007, 'Syringe vending machines as a form of needle syringe program: advantages and disadvantages', Journal of Substance Abuse, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 203 - 212.
McGrath, C 2008, 'Trials and tribulations of 'finding good staff' at the Sydney medically supervised injecting centre', HIV Australia, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 8-10
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion 1986, First International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, Canadian Public Health Association, Health and Welfare Canada, and the World Health Organization.