Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

Which report or conference cited mounting evidence that the contribution of medicine to health care was limited and that factors such as living and working conditions are crucial for a healthy population?

1. Alma-Ata Conference

2. Lalonde Report

3. National Forum on Health

4. Toward a Healthy Future: The Second Report on the Health of Canadians

The correct answer is: Toward a Healthy Future: The Second Report on the Health of Canadians

The correct answer is rooted in the content and focus of the report mentioned. The "Toward a Healthy Future: The Second Report on the Health of Canadians" was published in 1999 and elaborates on a shift in perspective regarding health determinants. It underscores that while medicine is important, the greater influences on health are socio-economic factors, including living and working conditions. This report highlights the concept that health is not solely determined by medical interventions but is significantly affected by a wider range of social determinants. It emphasizes multi-faceted approaches to health care, advocating for changes that go beyond the medical model, which is critical for improving population health outcomes. In contrast, the Alma-Ata Conference primarily focused on primary health care and its role in global health systems, while the Lalonde Report, published in 1974, introduced the concept of health promotion and highlighted lifestyle factors but did not delve as deeply into socio-economic conditions as the second report did. The National Forum on Health did consider various aspects of health care, but its framework was more comprehensive and less focused specifically on the limitations of medical contributions compared to the Second Report.