Abstract:
Global attention has been focused the best strategies to address the growing burden of Noncommunicable diseases. The evidence highlights a need to address NCDs through high level policy mechanisms which target the underlying causes of disease. These approaches aim to create environments that are supportive health. Many of the policy interventions proposed in the literature are congruent with a healthy public policy approach which puts health on the political agenda of sectors whose primary function is not health. In doing so there is a space for health promotion action to advocate and lobby for policy interventions which target NCDs. There are concerns that health promotion action on building healthy public policy is affected by the limited use of policy process theories within health promotion research. Using a theory of the policy process as the theoretical construct, the aim of this research was to identify how healthy public policies are made in Small Island Developing Nations. This study used the introduction of a tax on Sugar Sweetened Beverages in the Cook Islands to identify how healthy public policies are made within that setting. Data was collected using stakeholder interview, document analysis and participant observation. The data was then analysed using a triangulation method. The research identified that there are aspects of the theoretical construct used that could be adapted to capture the experience of building healthy public policies in the Cook Islands better. This study also found that aspects in the wider political environment of the Cook Islands served to set the stage for the Cook Islands government to successfully introduce an increase to the SSB tax. Within the policy process in the Cook Island there were several sites that could be used by health promoters to lobby and advocate for policy change. The implications are that the use of policy theory can support health promotion research. The findings of this theory oriented research can then be used to develop strategies health promotion advocacy.