Prof Samantha Thomas

Our latest Editorial launches our celebration of the Ottawa Charter at 40! @healthpromint.bsky.social @ottawacharter40.bsky.social academic.oup.com/heapro/artic... Watch my interview with Ilona Kickbusch www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pWr... Or listen on our podcast! open.spotify.com/episode/1GKA...

Come study with us! If you are a domestic Australian student interested in policy responses to harmful industries we would love to hear from you ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

“The government has effectively said that they recognise that #gambling sponsorship is harmful to children and then decided that it can continue for the next five years.” @docsamantha.bsky.social For Albo, harm to children comes a distant second to any threat to wagering industry profits. #auspol

The government's shoddy gambling legislation looks worse every day.

The government says it wants to break the nexus between gambling and sport… but it’s also going to allow gambling logos to remain on sporting jerseys for another five years. #Auspol Excellent story from @henrybelot.bsky.social and @joshbutler.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

“Minister I think many people take offence when the government just makes … stuff up.” #auspol

How well are the commercial determinants of health being translated into Australian policy? This study examines public health and health promotion policies across Australia, finding growing recognition, but limited regulatory action. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

Excellent article from @henrybelot.bsky.social on predatory inducement tactics. This shows why the Labor governments gambling ‘reforms’ will fail the very people they are meant to protect. #auspol www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

How can local parks support older adults to be more active? This study explores the scale-up of Seniors Exercise Parks across Victoria and highlights what supports successful implementation in local communities. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

This isn’t about being against gambling. It’s about asking why children aren’t the priority for the Labor government. #auspol

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of COVID-19 survivors in South Africa, revealing important gaps in psychosocial support and health system preparedness. Read the paper in Health Promotion International. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

COVID-19 vaccine uptake was high in Indigenous communities in Northwest Territories, Canada, although concerns about safety, effectiveness, and trust in government remained. This study highlights the importance of culturally safe communication and equitable access. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

I’ve been watching the debate on gambling legislation in the parliament and it’s pretty upsetting from the major parties. My thoughts here. #Auspol You can also follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/profsamantha...

Who holds power in food policy, and how do we study it? This scoping review examines the methods researchers use to investigate power and highlights opportunities to strengthen future research. Read the full paper here: academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

Forty years after the Ottawa Charter, how are Australian health systems putting health equity into practice? This scoping review examines health equity frameworks and proposes a new model to help translate equity commitments into action. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

This case study demonstrates how community-led action and cross-sector partnerships can reduce health inequalities and strengthen local wellbeing. Read the latest paper in Health Promotion International. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

“It’s so abundantly clear that all these other things got cooked up out of the prime minister’s office and definitely not out of Wells’ department, who were just so scant in detail that they couldn’t answer questions,” said one industry insider... #Auspol www.afr.com/companies/ga...

80% of Australians support a complete ban on gambling advertising. It’s time the government got on board. Join the campaign today to call on the federal government to protect young Australians from the predatory gambling industry and free our feeds from gambling ads.

Young people with intellectual disability have diverse health literacy strengths and support needs. This study centres their perspectives and highlights the importance of tailored health promotion strategies. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

In a new article published in @healthpromint.bsky.social Kanika Agarwal and @louiseholly.bsky.social explore how digital technologies are influencing our food choices, food systems and access to nutrition information. Read: https://tr.ee/exjdgi

Men are often underrepresented in community physical activity programmes. This study explores what helps, and what hinders, their engagement in walking groups. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

Starting to understand why meaningful gambling reform keeps getting delayed… Funny how money always seems to have a seat at the table.

The Labor Party has received more than $4 million in donations from the gambling industry over five years, including $1.5 million during the last election campaign.

Aboriginal women shared how caregiving responsibilities, systemic barriers, and everyday life shape their heart health. This paper highlights the need for culturally grounded, Aboriginal-led approaches to improve cardiovascular health. Read the latest paper academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

Health promotion works best when it reflects local food cultures and communities Check out this new paper in Health Promotion International: academic.oup.com/heapro/article/41/4/daag085/8723212?searchresult=1

Lived experience leadership is vital in health promotion research and service provision! Check out this new paper in Health Promotion International here: academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

Building healthy habits through health literacy in early childhood! Check out this important new paper on supporting health literacy in early childhood education settings academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

Mental health is often overlooked in hypertension care. This paper explores what healthcare providers say is needed to successfully integrate mental illness screening into routine care. Read the full paper here: academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

The Federal Government is facing criticism from all sides over the weak half-measures in its proposed gambling reforms. Crossbench MPs are calling on Labor to adopt the landmark Murphy Report in full, including a blanket ban on gambling advertising.

The consultation on the governments gambling legislation has been a ‘charade’. Well done @mon4kooyong.bsky.social @mikedaube.bsky.social

Absolutely thrilled to share that @healthpromint.bsky.social Impact Factor has increased from 2.4 to 3.6. A huge thank you to our authors, reviewers, editorial team, and the wider health promotion community. It’s wonderful recognition of the outstanding scholarship being published in the journal 🎉

I’ve finally set up a public Instagram account! I’ll be sharing: 🔍 Research on how industries influence health 🎰 Gambling reform and public health advocacy 📢 Health policy and health promotion 🎥 Updates from Health Promotion International #academicsky 📱 www.instagram.com/profsamantha...

I literally could watch this on repeat 😃

📣 Call for Papers for Special Collection @healthpromint.bsky.social: Power, Equity & the Health of Women & Girls 📆 Submission deadlines: Abstracts - 30 September 2026 Full papers - 01 March 2027 More information: academic.oup.com/heapro/pages... @docsamantha.bsky.social

Last week I chatted with @davidpocock.bsky.social & team about gambling reform. We talked evidence, regulatory capture, and the gap between what Australians want and what the Albanese govt is delivering. #auspol Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/6th3... YouTube open.spotify.com/episode/6th3...

"This is a decision in the interest of very powerful industries that are making money from a product that harms and sometimes kills people" @docsamantha.bsky.social On the capture of the Albanese govt by wealthy lobbies, nothing shouts louder than their pissweak gambling ad 'reforms'. #auaspol

The government's proposed crackdown on gambling ads doesn't go as far as most Australians want. When you run the numbers, it's a win for the betting industry.

Excellent. Well deserved recognition.

Wonderful to see Dr Tedros talk about the 40th Anniversary of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and acknowledge the work of Professor Ilona Kickbusch

Australia’s proposed gambling reforms create the appearance of action, while leaving the drivers of harm intact. Partial ad bans don’t work. They protect the status quo. academic.oup.com/heapro/artic...

The government's farcical half-pregnant #gambling advertising reforms are destined for the scrapheap. simonchapman6.com/2026/04/09/f... @docsamantha.bsky.social @mon4kooyong.bsky.social @sarahhansonyoung.bsky.social @andrewwilkiemp.bsky.social @davidpocock.bsky.social @zalisteggall.bsky.social

Labor’s plan to restrict gambling ads set to reduce wagering by just 0.8%, government analysis shows www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

“What the Albanese government is proposing is not evidence-based, and it will not reverse the normalisation of gambling among young people” Excellent from @davidpocock.bsky.social #auspol www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Excellent editorial i@thesaturdaypaper.com.au “Albanese says these are the most significant reforms ever implemented. This is the lie of comparison. It is true and also meaningless. They are the first such reforms and they are manifestly inadequate.” www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/edit...

Thanks to PK for having me on Afternoon Briefing to talk about the lack of comprehensive action from the Albanese govt on gambling reform. You can watch the interview here at about 22.30mins Watching Afternoon Briefing in iview iview.abc.net.au/show/afterno...

Good summary and comments on half-hearted measures. Partial restrictions get partial and very limited results – and decades of experience in other areas tell us that they simply challenge harmful industries to find new ways of targeting young people and vulnerable groups.

Peta Murphy was serious about protecting young Australians from gambling industry harm. The government’s proposed reforms fail the Murphy test. theconversation.com/small-and-un...

🔔 NEW   Creating health-promoting spaces for change within the economy: the role of food co-operatives in England   ✍️ Amy Barnes, Maddy Power, Kelli Kennedy   OPEN ACCESS doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daag038

🔔 NEW   Youth washing as a corporate social responsibility tactic of health-harming industries   ✍️ Sally Witchalls, Hannah Pitt, Simone McCarthy, Becky Freeman, Samantha Thomas   OPEN ACCESS doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daag018

Important issue that merits further attention.

🔔 NEW   How participation in health promotion affects peer-experts and experts-by-experience from vulnerable neighborhoods: a case study from The Netherlands   ✍️ Samantha Elkhuizen, Bente van Aken, Emma Stulen, Dagmar Niewold, Annemarie Wagemakers, Kristina Thompson   doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daag035