Perspektive    Javno zdravje 2018; 2(2): 42-54 
www.nijz.si/revijajavnozdravje 10.26318/JZ-03-06 50 
professionals, who also originate from fields other 
than medicine and who are active in different levels 
and segments of healthcare, can we expect to enrich 
the discussion, establish interdisciplinarity and 
elevate quality of decision-making in the system of 
healthcare.  
Slovenia is one of the few countries that still has no 
school of public health (occasional postgraduate 
courses cannot be counted as a valid substitute), even 
though there were initiatives and technical plans 
prepared for its establishment years ago (3). The role 
of school of public health is to provide perpetual, 
systematic and quality basic and complementary 
training on a theoretically and methodologically 
demanding field of healthcare, which lies on the 
crossroads of various scientific disciplines (natural 
sciences, sociology, humanism, organisational studies 
etc.). Simultaneously, school of public health can act 
as a forum for democratic debate where different 
viewpoints can be opposed and discussed. Research, 
education and expertise obtained from schools of 
public health are, in developed societies, an important 
prerequisite of acceptable, efficient, and sustainable 
development of healthcare system. It is also important 
to highlight that the government is accountable for the 
health of the population and it is therefore a 
responsibility of the government to work towards 
establishing a school of public health in our country. 
Considering relatively small expenses and large 
expected benefits, establishment of a school of public 
health is certainly justified (3). Delaying such 
measures obscures the further development of 
healthcare system in Slovenia. 
References 
1. Musgrove P et al. The world health report 2000: health 
systems: improving performance. Ženeva: World Health 
Organization, 2000: 5-7. 
2. The health for all policy framework for the WHO 
European Region: 2005 update. Kopenhagen: WHO 
Regional Office for Europe, 2005: 1-90. 
1. 3. Premik M. Bilban M. Zaletel Kragelj L. Artnik B. 
Slovenska šola za javno zdravje. Strokovne podlage za 
ustanovitev. Univerza v Ljubljani, Medicinska fakulteta, 
Katedra za javno zdravje. Ljubljana, 2004.  
 
A Reflection on Public Health Through the Prism of Communication 
Mitja Vrdelja, National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia 
 
World Health Organization (WHO) builds the 
effectiveness of public health field on ten fundamental 
postulates. Communication or, more precisely 
Advocacy communication and social mobilisation for 
health, is identified as the ninth of the Essential Public 
Health Operations (EPHOs) - as it is formally named 
(1).   
If we look at the status of health communication from 
academic and practical point of view, we can 
determine that it is a multidisciplinary, 
interdisciplinary and even transdisciplinary field, 
which combines many sciences, not only medicine 
and communication; however, in the organization of 
scientific work, it was established as a branch of 
communication (2). Therefore, the question arises: 
How is it in Slovenia? Is the field of communication, 
which arises from social sciences, appropriately 
placed in the field of public health with its roots deep 
in the field of medicine? Are thus the communication 
experts (and other nonmedical profiles), working in the 
field of public health, appropriately placed and 
positioned in this field? The answer is neither simple, 
nor clear. 
The lay eye of a Slovenian resident can detect that 
Slovenian healthcare has more and more diseases 
and thus more and more problems. Consequently, the 
faith in healthcare system is declining, which can be 
seen in the newest researches (3). It is completely 
logical that all of this is reflected in the field of 
communication, where the trust is fundamental for 
reaching the (communication) objectives. The current 
challenges for the normalization and establishment of 
the possibility for successful health communication in 
Slovenia could include the following: the preparation 
of a national health communication strategy with key 
success factors in different fields and levels; the 
definition of communication standards and 
management of crisis communication in health; and 
systemic and systematic education, research and 
training of all people working in the field of healthcare 
(4). It is understandable that all of this is difficult to 
achieve at once, but it is a gradual build-up and 
introduction of order in this field, which could (may) 
bring us the excellence in health communication. 
For the success and complete excellence in 
communication, we need to (thoroughly) know the 
environment in which we (public health) operate. 
Today, more than ever, we need to be aware that we 
are living in hypermodern times and hypermodern 
societies, which are extremely mediatized (5). Media 
is everywhere. Outside and inside. Everywhere. This is 
a great opportunity for public health, which brings 
down fences and builds bridges. And this is also one 
of the fundamental tasks of communication. It brings 
together various stakeholders, institutions, 
professions and even countries. Cooperation and 
integration is in its foundations. However, it could also 
be a trap, if public health experts do not cooperate 
close enough, if they rather compete with each other 
and build the importance of their own profession 
based on the devaluation of other professions, which 
also work complementary and successfully in the field 
of public health.   

Perspektive    Javno zdravje 2018; 2(2): 42-54 
www.nijz.si/revijajavnozdravje 10.26318/JZ-03-06 51 
Communication can only be successful in the field of 
public health, if we are willing to cooperate and, if we 
are properly trained and equipped with all the data. 
From the standpoint of an individual and of an 
organization. Effective communication requires 
supportive environment from within and from outside 
of the organization. It needs support from different 
professions and profiles in healthcare, and also from 
management and decision-makers. The support is 
essential. 
When we asked ourselves whether the field of 
communication is even appropriately placed in the 
field of public health, we have learned that in Slovenia 
it is not (yet). The support often comes only on 
declarative level and not in a concrete form of 
providing complete infrastructure, research and 
resources, which are essential for communication (as 
well as the entire field of public health) to achieve set 
objectives. However, steps have been made in the 
right direction. Nonetheless, the path ahead is still 
long. The communication as well is (often) a long-
distance run.    
References: 
1. World Health Organization. 2018. 
http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Health-
systems/public-health-services/policy/the-10-essential-
public-health-operations. 
2. Thomson, T. L., Parrot, R., in Nussbaum, J. F., eds. 
(2011). The Routledge handbook of Health 
Communication. New York: Routledge. 
3. Ogledalo Slovenije. 2018. Ljubljana. 
http://www.valicon.net/sl/2018/04/valicon-ogledalo-
slovenije-slovenci-srecnejsi-bolj-optimisticni/. 
4. Terseglav, S, Duratović Konjević A, Verčič A. Zdravstveno 
Komuniciranje v Sloveniji  : Raziskovalno Poročilo. 
Ljubljana, 2017. 
5. Tench, Ralph et al. 2017. Communication Excellence: 
How to Develop, Manage and Lead Exceptional 
Communication. London: Palgrave Macmillan