Blog • Equity Channel

Greece: Evidence on health effects of financial crises

Equity Channel — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:32:01 +0200

There are new and clear signs today that health outcomes in Greece have worsened during the financial crisis, especially in vulnerable groups of people. These concerns are detailed in a report published today in The Lancet, written by Alexander Kentikelenis and Dr David Stuckler, University of Cambridge, UK, and Professor Martin McKee, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, and colleagues.

Based on EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, the data show that Greek citizens were 15% more likely not to consult a doctor in 2009 than before the crisis began in 2007 due to factors such as longer waiting times, travel distance to care, and waiting to feel better. Since Greece’s universal health system entitles people to free consultations with a general practitioner and very cheap visits to outpatient clinics (0 to 5 Euros per visit), the authors say these noted reductions in access probably reflect supply-side problems: there were cuts of around 40% in hospital budgets, understaffing, reported occasional shortages of medical supplies, and bribes given to medical staff to jump queues in overstretched hospitals.

Admissions to public hospitals increase by 24% in 2010 compared with 2009, and by 8% in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period of 2010. Alarmingly, there has been a 14% rise in the proportion of Greek citizens reporting that their health was “bad” or “very

bad” in 2009 compared with 2007. Suicides rose by 17% in 2009 from 2007 and unofficial 2010 data quoted in parliament mention a 25% rise compared with 2009. The Minister of Health reported a 40% rise in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010.

Other alarming indicators include the rise in violence, and homicide and theft rates nearly

doubled between 2007 and 2009. The number of people able to obtain sickness benefits declined by around 40% between 2007 and 2009, probably due to budget cuts. A significant increase in HIV infections occurred in late 2010. The latest data suggest that new infections will rise by 52% in 2011 compared with 2010 (922 new cases versus 605), with half of the currently observed increases attributable to infections among intravenous drug users. Data for the first 7 months of 2011 show more than a 10-fold rise in new infections in these drug users compared with the same period in 2010. The prevalence of heroin use reportedly rose by 20% in 2009, from 20 200 to 24 100, according to estimates from the Greek Documentation and Monitoring Centre for Drugs. Budget cuts in 2009 and 2010 have resulted in the loss of a third of the country’s street-work programmes.

The authors highlight that as usual in recessionary times there have been marked reductions in alcohol consumption and, according to police data, drink-driving has decreased. These trends were not due to reduced detection owing to budget cuts in the police force, since police checks remained the same and more drivers were screened in 2009 than 2008.

The authors conclude: “Overall, the picture of health in Greece is concerning. It reminds us

that, in an effort to finance debts, ordinary people are paying the ultimate price: losing access to care and preventive services, facing higher risks of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, and in the worst cases losing their lives. Greater attention to health and health-care access is needed to ensure that the Greek crisis does not undermine the ultimate source of the country’s wealth—its people.”

Clive Needle, Director of EuroHealthNet, commented today: “this is valuable and important new evidence about the impact of economic decisions on the health of people, and on the societal impacts of not protecting health in all policy choices that are made. The EU should help make sure the people of Greece know the factual truth. It can use a health and economy task group to support national governments in providing evidence for the troika working on economic changes. The EU treaty calls on the EU and states to protect health in all their programmes, whatever the economic position: this is the time to do just that."

· Alexander Kentikelenis and Dr David Stuckler, University of Cambridge

Tel.: +44 (0) 7593 212319 E) aek37@cam.ac.uk

· Dr David Stuckler, University of Cambridge.

Tel.: +44 (0)7726 422212 E) ds450@cam.ac.uk

· Professor Martin McKee, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Tel.: +44 (0) 7973 832576 E) martin.mckee@lshtm.ac.uk

Spain: A petition for Right to Health. Make it happen!

Equity Channel — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:26:53 +0200

Right to health believes that health is a human right that should be guaranteed for all persons. However, nowadays this is not truth.

In the context of the forthcoming elections to be held in Spain on 20th November, team of Right to health is mobilizing to get that political parties include in their election manifestos and in their subsequent government action a certain proposals to ensure right to health to everyone, including people in poor countries.

Would you like to help to make it happen? Click on the link

below to request the inclusion of these proposals in election manifestos of all parties represented in parliament and assure by your signature that they will be carried out.

http://actuable.es/peticiones/me-molaria-los-partidos-aseguren-sus-programas

The petition has been published on ACTUABLE website, a public opinion citizen platform that by now it only works in Spanish. So, if you want to support this petition, please sign by following these instructions:

Introduce your name, surname, e-mail and post code in the boxes situated at the blue zone (right hand side of the screen),
Make click on the first small box and
Click on “Firma la petición”.

Economic crisis: Fuel poverty impacts on health inequalities

Equity Channel — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:08:35 +0200

A new Report shows that fuel poverty increases respiratory, cardiovascular and mental health diseases. In addition, it also impacts on educational achievements of children, dietary choices, and increased home injuries and accidents.

Commissioned by Friends of the Earth UK, the Marmot Review Team produced a comprehensive review realigning the environmental and health agendas to provide powerful evidence on the health benefits of reducing fuel poverty and improving the thermal efficiency of the existing housing stock.

The full report is available here:

http://www.marmotreview.org/AssetLibrary/the%20health%20impacts%20of%20cold%20homes%20and%20fuel%20poverty%20-%20marmot%20team%20foe%20-%20may%202011.pdf

Brochure "Reducing Health Inequalities in the European Union"

Equity Channel — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 11:01:24 +0200

The European Commission published a brochure providing updated information on health inequalities between and within the Member States of the European Union. It reviews several health inequality items (especially life expectancy) and explores the role of health determinants with a specific focus on the "Social Gradient", i e the social dimension existing in virtually all factors affecting health status. Specific explanations are provided on the role of European and national policies in this specific field (including funding opportunities) and on their potential contribution to the reduction of health inequalities. Finally, three case studies are spotlighted which describe the benefits achieved in such fields as child health, health of job seekers, and health status of ethnic minorities.

This publication is available in printed format in all EU official languages, here.

http://eurohealthnet.eu/content/brochure-reducing-health-inequalities-european-union

"Europe can make a difference against health inequalities" says ECDC Director

Equity Channel — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:41:54 +0200

An Informal Meeting of Ministers of Health, one of the major events related to the development of EU policy in the field of health, takes place in Sopot (Poland) on 5-6th July. ECDC Director Marc Sprenger gave a speech presenting evidence of health inequalities in the EU, as well as several options for intervention. ECDC’s work shows that social determinants play an important role in many European epidemics. Infectious diseases cause 7% of deaths in the EU, and their importance is even higher if we consider the wider burden of these diseases. Therefore, ’Targeted intervention against infectious diseases is a cost effective way to reduce health inequalities‘, states Dr Sprenger. The current financial crisis will most likely worsen health inequalities in the Member States. In this scenario, Europe can really make a difference, and ECDC Director proposes several actions: first of all, it is necessary to address the underlying economic, social and environmental determinants of vulnerability to infectious diseases; Childhood vaccination programmes for vulnerable groups need to be strengthened, and vulnerable groups need to be targeted in relation to any relevant diseases. ECDC can provide knowledge, evidence and technical support to help Member States implement cost effective interventions to fight infectious diseases and health inequalities.

Informal meetings of ministers are among the major events related to the development of EU policy in the field of health. Such meetings are systematically organised by States assuming the Presidency and take place in the country which currently chairs the work of the EU Council. Informal meetings of EU health ministers are also attended.

Presentation by ECDC Director is available here.

The report "Burden of communicable diseases methodology protocol" is available here.

The report "Burden of communicable diseases health topic site" is available here.

Fair London, Healthy Londoners?

Equity Channel — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:44:01 +0200

The London Health Commission published a report providing an overview of current health inequalities in London, both in terms of health outcomes and also in relation to key indicators for the wider social determinants of health. It is intended to illustrate the current situation and to stimulate and inform discussion on the focus for future action across London.

The emphasis in this report on indicators of the social determinants of health reflects the priority given to the “causes of the causes” in Fair Society, Healthy Lives, the report of the strategic review of health inequalities in England post-2010, undertaken by Professor Sir Michael Marmot.

The indicators selected and developed for this report are based on the aspirational national high level indicators proposed in the Marmot Review and relevant links to the Review’s policy recommendations are provided in the Executive Summary and Key Findings to inform discussion on future action.

In looking at these indicators for London, the report provides a range of information about health inequalities in London in terms of place, population groups, health and wellbeing outcomes, children and young people and income. It has been designed to be useful to a wide range of stakeholders in health in London, including individuals, organisations, agencies and partnerships at local, regional and national level.

The data are intended to inform local assessment of need and draw attention to areas where action may be most needed. Summary profile charts for all London boroughs are included in Section 3 of this report, allowing local areas to compare their position to London and England as a whole.

The report fulfils a commitment in the London Health Commission’s (LHC) Prospectus 2009-2012 to propose a new set of high level indicators of determinants of health and wellbeing, and health inequalities.

The report "Fair London, healthy Londoners?" is available here.

Poorer women less likely to survive breast cancer

Equity Channel — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:02:45 +0200

A new report shows that poorer women from most disadvantaged areas in England are less likely to survive breast cancer. Such women tend to be diagnosed later and miss out on most effective treatments.

The All Breast Cancer Report, published by the National Cancer Intelligence Network, is the first in depth analysis in the UK to look at how the impact of treatment and route of diagnosis affects life chances among people at different parts of social gradients.

EuroHealthNet director Clive Needle said ” This is another important piece of evidence that policy priorities should be addressed to tackling social determinants of health, the real factors behind impacts of diseases. Cancers and survival rates vary across Europe, but what is constant is that poorer, less educated people suffer more ill-health. That can be changed by governments to ensure better education, action for people in deprived communities, and “proportional universalism” in health and social services. Until that is done these scandalous inequities will persist.”

“In the EU context this is a glaring reason why a suggested new health programme must include action on health inequities in prevention of chronic diseases such as cancers. It must also end the “silos” where we have state actions on cancers separate from actions on inequalities. Women experiencing poverty need urgent action.”

The National Cancer Intelligence network Report is available here.

The EU actions on cancer are available here.

The EU actions on inequalities are available here.

WHO Report - Social determinants approaches to public health

Equity Channel — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:33:46 +0200

WHO published a report related to social determinants approaches to public health. The health of a population is measured by the level of health and how this health isdistributed within the population. The WHO publication from early 2010, entitled Equity,social determinants and public health programmes analysed from the perspective of thirteen priority public health conditions their social determinants and explored possible entry points for addressing the avoidable and unfair inequities at the levels of socioeconomic context, exposure, vulnerability, health-care outcome and social consequences. However, the analysis needs to go beyond concepts to explore how the social determinants of health and equity can be addressed in the real world. This publication takes the discussion on social determinants of health and health equity to a practical level of how programmes have actually addressed the challenges faced during implementation.

The report does not provide a one-size-fits-all blueprint for success; rather, it analyses from different perspectives and within different contexts programmatic approaches that led to success or to failure. The final chapter synthesizes these experiences and draws the combined lessons learned. These lessons include: the need for understanding equity as a key value in public health programming and for working not only across sectors but also across health conditions. This requires a combination of visionary technical and political leadership, an appreciation that long-term sustainability depends on integration and institutionalization, and that there are no quick fixes to public health challenges. Programmes must get out of their comfort zones and, in addition to applying traditional biomedical and programmatic tools, they have to learn to address the economic, social, cultural and political realities in which public health conditions and inequities exist.

A common lesson learned from all the analysed cases is to not wait to identify what went right or wrong until after the programme has elapsed or failed. Research is a necessary component of any implementation to routinely explore, gauge, and adjust strategies and approaches in a timely manner.

The WHO report is available here.

WHO-Reports on social determinants for health

Equity Channel — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:24:29 +0200

The Department of Ethics, Equity, Trade and Human Rights of WHO launched a WHO publication series devoted to the social determinants of health. The series will explore themes related to strategy, governance, tools and capacity building for addressing the social determinants of health to improve health equity. Papers will also include reviews of country experiences.

• The report “Action on the Social Determinants of Health: learning from previous experiences” is available here

• The report “ A Conceptual Framework for Action on the Social Determinants of Health” is available here

• The report “ Monitoring Social Well-being to Support Policies on the Social Determinants of Health: the case of New Zealand's "Social Reports/Te Purongo Oranga Tangata" is available here

The Department of Ethics, Equity, Trade and Human Rights is currently working on a second set of papers, to be published immediately prior to the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 19-21 October 2011. The aim of the World Conference on Social Determinants of Health is to bring Member States and other actors together to catalyze high level political support for national policies to address social determinants of health to reduce health inequities. Its specific objectives are to:

• strengthen political commitment by Member States to develop and implement national policies on social determinants of health to reduce health inequities;

• share experiences, challenges and technical knowledge on addressing social determinants of health, taking into account the need for strengthening governance arrangements and learning from different contexts.

The Conference will serve as a catalyst for the coordination of efforts by national governments, international agencies, academic institutions and civil society organizations in the fight against health inequities. 800 participants are expected, including delegates from health and other sectors, Civil society organizations, academics, the private sector and representatives from WHO and other UN and international agencies. Participation will be by invitation only. Participating Member States will be requested to approve the Rio Declaration that will express the global political commitment to implement action on the social determinants of health. The main themes that will be tackled during the conference are:

• Governance to tackle the root causes of health inequities: implementing intersectoral action and Health in All Policies.

• Health systems as a social determinant: the role of the health sector, including services and public health programmes, in improving health inequities.

• Monitoring progress: measurement and analysis of health inequities and policies to address social determinants.

• Promoting participation: community leadership for action on social determinants.

• Action on social determinants to achieve global priorities and the role of global partners.

For more information about the conference, click here

To reduce social inequalities for health

Equity Channel — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:29:42 +0200

The « Institut National de Prevention et d’Education pour la Sante » (INPES) published a report on « How to reduce social inequalities in health? » where it underlines that all indicators show that social inequalities increase. Since its creation, INPES has been deeply involved in this field, which is one of the pillars of the whole health promotion strategy promotion as well as of any programs for the health prevention or education. Health prevention, promotion and education have to involve everybody for equity. However, in practice, the most advantaged social classes get advantages out of this. One of the missions of INPES is to bring an expertise to professionals faced with inequalities, whatever the field they work in. This report is therefore addressed to them. The aim is to bring knowledge scientifically validated and assessed practices. The report does not content any normalized responses and does not bring any definitive solutions. It is a guide.

The report is available here

Adolescence Age of opportunity

Equity Channel — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:49:43 +0200

UNICEF published a report on the state of the world’s children 2011. The arguments for investing in adolescence are fivefold. It is right in principle under existing human rights treaties including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which applies to around 80 per cent of adolescents, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which applies to all adolescent females. Investing in adolescence is the most effective way to consolidate the historic global gains achieved in early and middle childhood since 1990. The 33 per cent reduction in the global under-five mortality rate, the near elimination of gender gaps in primary school enrolment in several developing regions and the considerable gains achieved in improving access to primary schooling, safe water and critical medicines such as routine immunizations and antiretroviral drugs – all are testament to the tremendous recent progress achieved for children in early and middle childhood. Investing in adolescents can accelerate the fight against poverty, inequity and gender discrimination. Adolescence is the pivotal decade when poverty and inequity often pass to the next generation as poor adolescent girls give birth to impoverished children.

The report is available at :

http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publication-pdfs/sowc2011.pdf

EU-WHO- Rural poverty and health systems

Equity Channel — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:17:54 +0100

WHO published a report on “Rural poverty and health systems” where the organization studies the consequences of the financial crisis and economic downturn on rural poverty. The intersections between social determinants of health (education, employment, social protection) in disadvantaged areas are also observed. The rural dimension is often neglected in analyses of health status and health system performance. Data on differences between rural and urban areas on these topics are typically scarce, lacking a comprehensive view of all health system functions, public health governance, and a full spectrum of health issues. In the health sector and beyond, limited data and analysis of the situation of rural populations, and in particular of the rural poor, contribute to their invisibility and neglect in policy processes in many countries.

The report is available here

Pensions and Health Equity

Equity Channel — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:14:45 +0100

Today, with the adoption of the report ‘Towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems’ by the European Parliament, EuroHealthNet highlights that adequate income for a healthy life, including through retirement by provision of pension support, is important to ward off the threat of poverty, ill health and social exclusion for older vulnerable people. Calling for the inclusion of the health equity dimension within European pension systems to strive towards social justice and economic efficiency, EuroHealthNet recommends specific approaches here.

Despite the positive impact of social, economic and medical progress on health outcomes, health inequities have however persisted and increased in and between states and regions. In a world where 151 million Europeans will be over 65 in 2060, adequate pension support will be an essential component in contributing to environments that are conducive to promoting healthy living conditions.

Currently in the EU, one out of five of all older people is at risk of poverty. EuroHealthNet highlights that health, poverty and social exclusion are strongly interrelated and moreover, this threat is further reinforced by the financial crisis and the impending budget cuts in some public expenditures. Older women, disabled and chronically ill people and people at the lower end of social gradient are particularly at risk.

Pensions systems must be universally proportionate to provide people with the means to live a dignified and healthy life. Pension benefits should consist of a minimum income for a healthy living (MIHL) and linked to indexation to match increases in the cost of living. In addition, the possibility for older people to fully integrate into the labour market should be promoted in ways that effectively address Europe’s objectives for growth and jobs. Solidarity within and between generations is also a key aspect of national social protection systems to reinforce social cohesion

Pension systems should reflect the average life expectancy gap of fifteen years between lower socio-economic groups who start their working life earlier and people from higher socio-economic groups who tend to be more educated and who start working at a later age. Finally, prevention, health promotion and education should be better integrated in all policies; equal opportunities and the protection of disabled and chronically ill people in labour markets should also be taken into account in respect of health equity.

EuroHealthNet Director Clive Needle said “Much attention is focusing on the so-called “demographic time-bomb”, financial pillars of pension provision and how states can manage what is too often seen as a burden. However evidence on healthy ageing and social determinants of health shows that addressing inequities through life can help turn older people into a real asset for communities and economies. The EU has a real role to promote that as set out in its Treaty objectives of promoting wellbeing and cohesion for all its citizens from pregnancy to pensions.”

For further information, contact Stecy Yghemonos at s.yghemonos@eurohealthnet.eu

A European platform to combat poverty and social exclusion

Equity Channel — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:22:00 +0100

As stated in Mr. Barroso’s address to the European Parliament, back in April 2010, “the real strength of a society rests on the opportunities it creates for its weakest citizens”.

As part of its Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, the European Commission is launching a European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion. The Platform will build on the European year for combating poverty and social exclusion in order to foster economic, social and territorial cohesion. It will primarily seek to support the EU target of lifting at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion in the next decade by creating a joint commitment among the Member States, EU Institutions and the key stakeholders. The Platform will set a framework for action to ensure that the benefits of growth and jobs are widely shared across the European Union and people experiencing poverty and social exclusion are enabled to live in dignity and take an active part in society.

In 2008, more than 80 million people across the Union lived below the poverty line, that is, more than the population of Germany, or 16.5 per cent of the EU population. Women account for well over half of them and 20 million are children. Poverty, social exclusion and health are closely interrelated. They can be a cause or a consequence of the others and the relations amongst the three is often cyclical. Many of the mechanisms leading to and perpetuating poverty and social exclusion are related to health, which reflects a marked correlation between socio-economic status and health.

The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion represents an opportunity to addressing these challenges within the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The Commission has identified the following areas for action:

Delivering actions across the policy spectrum;
Greater and more effective use of the EU Funds to support social inclusion;
Promoting evidence-based social innovation;
Working in partnership and harnessing the potential of the social economy;
Enhanced policy coordination among the Member States.

Will growth and jobs will be sufficient to reduce social and health inequalities? Please tell us what you think on the Equity Channel community.

To download the EC communication on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, please click here.
To access the list of key initiatives planned in the framework of the Platform, please click here.

A rare chance for better health and social equity in EU food laws?

Equity Channel — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 10:48:00 +0100

The European Commission (EC) has published its plan for the future of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) “The CAP towards 2020 - meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future”. EuroHealthNet is part of a consortium working on health and agriculture policies (EPHAC) that will contribute to the consultation that has begun. Before we do that we want to know what you think and if you can help.

The CAP remains the largest EU policy area in terms of spending, accounting for around 40% of the total EU budget. The CAP influences how our food is produced and distributed, rural livelihoods and access to services in rural communities. Food production and agriculture policies are important social determinants of health. Diet related chronic diseases are a major burden to individuals and societies. There are marked differences in prevalence of chronic diseases between and within Member States (MS) and regions. Chronic diseases are largely preventable, but to do so requires cohesive policy.

One of the big debates before decisions are made in 2011 will be the equity of distribution of direct payments between new and old MS and between big processors, smaller landholders and subsistence farmers. It is argued that direct payments should not purely be based on land, but on creation of jobs. All of these will have a profound effect on health equity for decades to come, so the question is: Will these reforms for CAP contribute to meeting the EU 2020 goals for healthy and inclusive growth?

The new Communication outlines big challenges for food and agriculture policy – feeding a growing world population, reduction in biodiversity and climate change and - to a lesser extent - public health needs. This can be an important step in aligning CAP with public health goals, but how can health experts offer policies and instruments that meet realistic needs and build public support for changes?

For the first time European Parliamentarians, experts and the public can directly influence these legislative decisions, not just ministers. Now the consultation has begun. The Reform of the CAP towards 2020 - Consultation document for Impact Assessment has been published. So how should health equity campaigners respond? Tell us what you think...

Please see these published documents for information:

Towards greater health equity in Europe: a new European health policy, Health 2020

Equity Channel — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:31:00 +0200

Plans to develop a new European health policy, ‘Health 2020’ were agreed at the WHO Regional Office for Europe’s annual Regional Committee meeting which, this year, took place from 13 to 16 September 2010 in Moscow, Russian Federation.

The annual meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe provides a forum for discussion between the 53 Member States in the European Region, international organizations, health experts and representatives from the non-governmental sector.

This year’s meeting, the first with Zsuzsanna Jakab as the WHO Regional Director for Europe, marked a change in the priorities and vision for public health in the Region.

Health 2020 aims to confirm the underlying values and principles, and provide for an integrated and consistent framework to address the recent challenges to health and health equity in Europe in an effective way at regional, national and subnational levels, working closely with all Member States, relevant sectors and partners.

A new study on health inequalities in Europe will provide a basis for this health policy. This study will analyze the social determinants of health, in particular as they affect the health divide in Europe, as well as the social gradient in societies, vulnerable population groups, gender and the impact of all these aspects on health policies and actions by governments. It will also address all the other determinants of health, such as lifestyles, the environment and climate change, and food safety.

The policy will promote health as a governmental responsibility and emphasize the need for inter-sectoral collaboration, while maintaining the important and critical role played by the health minister, who is in the driving seat for all health-related matters within and beyond the health care system.

A draft policy framework is expected to be presented at the next meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in 2011, and finalized in 2012.

Further information is available at the website of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Photo: Plenary session with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

From left: Mr Vladimir Lazarevik, Deputy Minister of Health, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Ms Zuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe; Ms Tatyana Golikova, Minister of Health and Social Development, Russian Federation; Mr Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General at a plenary session. (Photo: WHO/R. Kuznetsova)

New strategy on gender equality can contribute to EU economic growth and reduce health inequalities

Equity Channel — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:58:00 +0200

The European Commission has adopted a five-year strategy for promoting equality between women and men in Europe, which aims in particular to “use the potential and the talent pool of women more extensively and efficiently, so that economic and business benefits can be gained”. The Strategy will in turn contribute to achieving the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

While the employment rate of women in the EU has increased from 52% in 1998 to 58.6% today, big gaps remain as women often account for the vast majority of part-time workers (32% vs. 8% male part-time workers) and have more precarious jobs - i.e. poorly paid, insecure, unprotected jobs. The pay gap between women and men in the EU also remains wide, with a difference of 17.6% in hourly wages.

In addition, the impact of parenthood on labour market participation is still very different for women and men in the EU today, because women continue to shoulder a disproportionate part of the responsibilities involved in running a family. Also, current demographic trends mean that women and men increasingly have to care for dependants other than children over indefinite periods of time.

To address these issues, the new strategy has translated the principles set out in the Women’s Charter – adopted by the European Commission in March 2010 - into a series of specific actions spelled out under five priorities: equal economic independence for women and men; equal pay for work of equal value; equality in decision-making; dignity, integrity and ending gender violence; and promoting gender equality beyond the EU.

Gender inequities influence a person’s health and wellbeing through, among other routes, discriminatory employment patterns, violence against women, lack of decision-making power, and unfair divisions of work, leisure, and possibilities of improving one’s life. As highlighted by the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH), “taking action to improve gender equity in health and to address women’s rights to health is one of the most direct and potent ways to reduce health inequities and ensure effective use of health resources”.

Can the EU new gender strategy offer positive entry points for change? What do you think? Please let us know via y.kuipers@eurohealthnet.eu.

The European Commission’s Strategy for equality between women and men (2010-2015) is available here.

To download the final report of the Women and Gender Equity Knowledge Network to the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, entitled: “Unequal, Unfair, Ineffective and Inefficient Gender Inequity in Health: Why it exists and how we can change it”, please click here.

[Photo: Credit © European Union, 2010]

The European Commission launches new youth initiative

Equity Channel — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:22:00 +0200

The European Commission has launched “Youth on the Move”, one of the seven flagship initiatives introduced through the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The initiative - which aims to further align education and training programs with young people's needs and encourage more of them to take advantage of EU study abroad grants, will be instrumental in achieving the headline targets of reducing the share of early school leavers and increasing the number of young people with tertiary education by 2020.

The “Youth on the Move” initiative will attempt to tackle some of the key barriers that prevent students from continuing their education. These actions are primarily focused at those from disadvantaged socio-economic and vulnerable groups. It will also seek to reconcile the demand and supply sides of the job market to ensure that students have a better chance of getting quality jobs when they graduate.

This is particularly important since, according to the European Commission, “the number of young people looking for a job has increased from 4 to 5 million since the onset of the financial turmoil, with EU youth unemployment now at nearly 21%.”

Public policies that promote educational development throughout the life course have long been advocated as a valuable tool in contributing to narrowing social, economic and health inequalities.

Recommendations from both the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health and the Strategic Review on Health Inequalities in England have called for a strategic focus on youth, particularly in the early stages of child development. Both reports assert that investment in early child development is one of the most effective strategies in contributing to tackling health inequalities.

What do you think? Will this initiative contribute to health and social equity and if so how? Contact us via j.considine@eurohealthnet.eu.

More information on the “Youth on the Move” communication is available here. In addition, on Friday 17 September, Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou will take part in a web-chat on Youth on the Move from 15:00-16:00.Questions can be sent in advance or during the web-chat, in any EU language, to this address: EAC-YOM@ec.europa.eu.

Clear thinking needed on private public partnerships for health

Equity Channel — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:40:00 +0200

Speaking at the IUHPE Global Conference on health promotion in Geneva, EuroHealthNet Director Clive Needle has raised the need for practitioners and policy makers to carefully consider the implications of working with intersectoral partnerships.

The Conference has held several debates on developments involving new forms of partnerships, during which ethical, practical and professional questions have been raised.

A common theme emerging is that trust between partners is essential, with evaluations of numerous initiatives showing that leadership, transparency and planning are among other key factors.

In one session, an example was cited of an opportunity to promote workforce health within a tobacco company and the ethical dilemmas involved, which provoked varying reactions.

Clive Needle says this is highly relevant for EU approaches to health. At the event he moderated a European Commission session on how the Europe 2020 plan could impact on health in the continent, which included speakers from public health, local government, NGOs and business.

Another session run by Business in the Community, with whom EuroHealthNet has worked on tackling social determinants of health, sought to identify health benefits and business imperatives for joint work.

It is clear that the nature of modern economies and what we know about health determinants means that the need for working in new ways will become increasingly important during the next decade.

To stimulate that, much greater clarity is needed about varying models. For example EuroHealthNet is active in the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health where many multinational food industries are represented.

Its latest evaluation shows initiatives have been generated but much more remains to be done and negotiated. However in non regulatory environments such as social networking major opportunities have yet to be explored.

Via its projects and networking EuroHealthNet will continue to investigate these positive and negative factors, and welcomes comments, experiences and suggestions from all potential partners and stakeholders.

More information about the IUHPE Conference can be found on the conference website. Please click here for more information about the Europe 2020 Strategy or here to learn more about the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

[Photo: “urban hand shake" by P Kinski, available under a Creative Commons License]

European Commission launches consultation on the future of pensions

Equity Channel — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:39:00 +0200

The European Commission (EC) has launched a European-wide public consultation on the future of pensions.

The consultation document, a Green paper, highlights some of the key challenges facing pension systems and how the EU can support Member State efforts to deliver adequate and sustainable pensions.

These include “ensuring adequate incomes in retirement; making sure pension systems are sustainable in the long term; achieving the right balance between work and retirement and facilitating a longer active life”.

In the green paper, the EC recognises that “sound and adequate pension systems, enabling individuals to maintain, to a reasonable degree, their living standard after retirement, are crucial for citizens and for social cohesion.”

It also acknowledges the important role the health of citizen’s plays in determining the age of retirement and therefore accessing pension schemes.

The paper goes on to acknowledge that “poor health is one of the drivers of early retirement” and that health policies supporting healthy ageing “can contribute to extending working lives, reduce pressure on pension systems and can improve sustainability.”

Healthy ageing is undeniably crucial not only for reducing the burden on pensions systems but also on the whole of society, as huge differences exists in health status between different Socio-Economic Groups (SEGs).

As highlighted by a report on health inequalities in Europe, people from lower socio-economic groups spend a large amount of their retirement with health problems; while high SEG people are generally healthy and physically fit.

This, in combination with the fact that low SEG people start to work at a younger age, and also die 5-7 years earlier according to WHO Europe estimates, constitutes a quite unfair situation.

While an active and healthy elderly population could delay the retirement age, a stronger focus should also be placed on improving health across the social gradient for the elderly, in particular to level social inequities experienced by lower SEG’s.

More information about the EC’s Green paper on the future of pensions is available here. The report on health inequalities, commissioned by the UK during their presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2006, is available here.

[Photo: Credit © European Union, 2010]

Global Health Conference - together we can make it happen

Equity Channel — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:09:00 +0200

The European Commission’s first global health conference provided an opportunity for stakeholders to comment on the recently agreed Communication and the views of EU member states.

For some time the EU has established practical partnerships with countries beyond its borders on research of diseases and other health projects, but now a range of potential approaches are being brought together strategically. Information about the process and conference is available here.

While a relatively united set of Conclusions have been agreed by ministers, there are diverse views on what should be priorities: Euro MPs have just passed a resolution urging priorities on development funding and addressing the Millennium Development Goals by a relatively narrow majority, for example.

At the event there was some criticism of the focus on MDGs leading up to the UN review conference in September, with a feeling that work on other social, economic and health determinants is being deflected. Some NGOs suggested the MDGs were inappropriate and would not be achieved without conflicting diversion of resources and attention to key rights; others have noted with concern that health is not featuring sufficiently in initial plans for the next EU research programme.

In addition to a short speech by EU Health Commissioner John Dalli drawing attention to the opportunities of the current EU 7th Framework Research Programme there were stirring speeches from the WHO Secretary General Dr Margaret Chan promoting the WHO Global Strategy and in particular from the African Union Social Affairs Commissioner Dr Bience Gawanas, who explained passionately why she had chosen to miss the opening game of the first football World Cup held in Africa to speak at the event. Sadly the importance of the event for Europeans was not underlined by the absence of the anticipated participation by the EU Commissioners for Development and Research or some of the event organisation, but EuroHealthNet and many others will now work on practical contributions to the action plans.

For further information contact Clive Needle via c.needle@eurohealthnet.eu

The Equity Channel briefing paper on the EC's Communication on Global Health is available here.

Ministers help progress on health equity – but will their aims survive the cuts?

Equity Channel — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:27:00 +0200

Although frustrated by the volcanic ash cloud that wrecked its showpiece event in Madrid in spring, Spain has presided over useful steps forward in building high level action to tackle health inequities at EU level.

Under the Spanish EU Presidency leadership, Health ministers have now agreed to back and help implement measures set out by the European Commission last year.

Amid the standard text of their formal Conclusions are some interesting points which offer encouragement, despite worrying social and welfare predications for the continent.

Noting that “the framework for public health has changed” is a gentle step towards reorienting treatment systems towards prevention.

Overdue recognition that “an approach based on equity in health may enhance the efficiency of different policies and contribute to EU goals of fostering economic development while maintaining social cohesion” suggests that the catchy but clumsy “health is wealth” slogan is being more carefully defined, at least for public health.

It is another sign that having social, research and health policy makers work closer together can pay dividends – an added value of EU co-operation.

So the invitation for member states to “obtain a regular overview of the health impact of their main policies, with special emphasis on obtaining information related to social determinants of health” – and gather the proper data – is potentially important, if it is taken up. That remains a big if, given almost inevitable cutbacks amid budget deficit reduction plans.

In the UK, for example, a threat hangs over the renowned longitudinal study of birth cohorts providing almost unique data for generations.

No data analysis, no reliable overview is the all too common obstacle.

The focus on women and children is also welcome given increasing and emerging evidence, not least from EuroHealthNet’s Gradient project co-funded by the EU research programme, that investment in early years has greatest potential impact from various perspectives.

The Europe wide initiative that new WHO Director General Zsusanna Jacob has commissioned Sir Michael Marmot to carry out now has some clear guidance from at least 27 of its health ministers about the directions where their concerns, needs and instincts lie.

The challenge will be to convince their colleagues in the finance ministries to wield their axes in ways that do not slash and burn whatever limited progress is made through the good intentions of the Commission’s plans and the good ideas locally in many of their states.

The full Council Conclusions are available here. More information about the Gradient project is available here.

EuroHealthNet members can see full reporting of Council processes in the regular Health Highlights online newsletter, available if you join us.

[Photo: “European Flag” by rockcohen, available under a Creative Commons License]

International economic bodies turn attention to welfare spending

Equity Channel — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:21:00 +0200

Amid concerns of a major economic crisis across Europe, governments seeking budget solutions are increasingly turning their attention to state spending on welfare including health and social protection, according to discussions within OECD countries.

Recent OECD meetings in Paris have heard calls for winding down of the emergency measures put in place by many states to protect public budgets, in the wake of the financial crisis believed by many to have been primarily the responsibility of irresponsible practices in financial sectors.

Now health organisations fear that governments forced to review fiscal measures will focus on welfare spending as a proportion of national deficits.

William White, who chairs the influential OECD Economic Development and Review Committee is quoted as urging “exit policies” from measures by governments to support economies as soon as possible to reduce debts and “pursue structural reforms” to increase potential growth.

It is suggested that welfare spending may “threaten a new economic crisis” unless drastic actions are taken.

The Equity Channel event in Brussels in March featured a presentation by Dr Anna Coote, Social Policy Director of the New Economics Foundation, which advocates a different approach to structural reforms in the financial sector which could protect public investments.

At the recent meeting of the EU Health Policy Forum EuroHealthNet asked for information about what health impact assessments are being made of the new proposals for the Europe 2020 “flagship” economic strategies for the next decade, but answers were inconclusive.

EuroHealthNet Director Clive Needle said “we know from history that, while short term measures may superficially resolve perceived debt and deficit problems, the health and care sector will bear much of the future burden of the social crisis which would follow as surely as night follows day".

"The evidence of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health is clear: significant reforms to the way wealth and power is measured and balanced is needed globally including in Europe", he adds. "This is a test for the governments who agree resolutions in World Health Assemblies but who may now may enforce harmful health and welfare cuts which would prevent health and equity targets being achieved for decades.There are alternatives and health bodies should argue for them now.”

For more information about the OECD or to read the full article by William White in the newest OECD Observer issue, please click here.

Further information about the New Economics Foundation can be found here and for more information about the EU 2020 proposals please click here.

[Photo: “yet more coins” by pajp, available under a Creative Commons License]

Deciding the future of EU Energy

Equity Channel — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:41:00 +0200

The European Commission has launched a public consultation towards developing a new energy Strategy for Europe.

The overall goal of the future European energy policy is to ensure secure, low-carbon energy for the next ten years.

The European Commission wants to make sure that “EU citizens are guaranteed a high level of safety and security for energy supply and use.”

Securing affordable energy for all is also a central objective of the strategy.

“While days of cheap energy are definitely over…the internal market should ensure that consumers do not pay more than what is really necessary for their energy consumption,” the Commission says.

Market transparency is also a key issue under consideration in the consultation.

“Improving market transparency on network operation and supply which guarantees equal access to information, making pricing more transparent, increasing trust in the market and helping to avoid market manipulation,”are highlighted by the Commission as priorities in this area.

More efficient use of energy can have a positive impact for health equity.

“Home upgrading in poorer areas brings many benefits, including greater energy and water efficiency, tackling fuel poverty, helping attract more mixed communities and mitigating the impact of climate change,” according to the Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England.

The new strategy is a follow up to the Energy Action plan that was agreed in 2007.

Equity Channel, as part of our ‘Policy Precis’ series, produced a precis on energy efficiency that makes the link with health equity. For more information please visit our publications page.

More information about the European Commission’s consultation on a new Energy Strategy can be found here.

For more information on the Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England can be found here.

European Commission presents plans for cleaner transport future

Equity Channel — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:42:00 +0200

The European Commission has published plans for a low-carbon, energy-efficient transport sector.

The new strategy includes plans to increase the number of fuel-efficient conventional vehicles and also to begin an industrial roll-out of electric vehicles.

Establishing emissions standards and implementing green technologies are also important aspects of the strategy.

The proposals also call for more to be done to encourage people to make the switch to cleaner transport, including different energy taxation measures.

“Better incentives need to be created for the efficient use of conventional fuels and the gradual uptake of alternative low-carbon emitting fuels,” says the European Commission.

The proposals will also consider additional ways of reducing CO2 emissions from road transport, such as eco-driving, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), infrastructure measures, and urban transport management.

It is anticipated that a ”robust procedure” will be developed by 2012 to measure real world emissions from vehicles.

Less polluting vehicles have the potential to strengthen the economy and reduce unfair health differences, according to a WHO report on health equity in urban settings.

“Health risk assessments in a number of countries have concluded that vehicle-related air pollution causes thousands of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases cases and deaths each year at an estimated cost of billions of dollars,” the WHO says.

To download the WHO report on health equity in urban settings, please go to the WHO website.

More information about the European Commission strategy on clean and energy-efficient vehicles can be found here.

[Photo: “Sunny traffic jam” by P-and-A, available under a Creative Commons License]

European Commission wants stronger commitments to MDG targets

Equity Channel — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:54:00 +0200

The European Commission has adopted a 12-point action plan to speed up progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Top of the list for the action plan is a commitment by the EU to keep its promises of 0.7 per cent gross national income (GNI) for aid by 2015.

"We have to respect our promises of more and better aid to halve poverty by 2015. This plan shows how we can keep the lead in working with developing countries to get back on track towards the MDGs. The Goals are still achievable, provided there is financial effort and political will from EU Member States," said Andris Piebalgs, European Commissioner for Development.

Member States will be asked to establish action plans for reaching individual targets, including 0.33 per cent of GNI for the countries that joined the EU since 2004 and 0.7 per cent of GNI for the other EU countries.

Member States are asked to publish the first plans before September 2010, when a key UN summit on the MDGs will take place in New York.

The European Commission plans include a commitment to improve the results in key sectors for gender, education, health and food security, and to support a stronger weight of developing countries in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Ensuring greater policy coherence for those areas which have an impact on overseas development is also part of the action plan.

The EC is keen to use its existing funding commitment to climate change as a test to enhance policy coherence for development action plans.

So far, only four countries in the EU have met the UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNI being devoted to development aid: Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden.

The European Commission has also set out an action plan on tax and development, to help developing countries enhance domestic revenues and fight tax evasion.

Better EU support for establishing international standards of tax cooperation and strengthening monitoring capacities in the fight against illicit financial outflows are among the main objectives.

The proposals are part of the EU spring development package, which includes plans from the European Commission on global health and food security.

EU Foreign Ministers are due to discuss the action plan for meeting the MDGs in May and June, while EU leaders will debate the plans at the European Council in June.

To access all the documents related to the European Commission spring development package, please visit the EU Development website.

EuroHealthNet presents new evidence of innovative obesity projects

Equity Channel — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:58:00 +0200

An updated report from EuroHealthNet presents fresh evidence of obesity prevention projects which go beyond a focus on diet and lifestyle.

Many of the projects are taking a new look consider the socio-economic and cultural determinants of the obesity problem.

The report, “Focusing on Obesity Through a Health Equity Lens”, demonstrates the link between health inequalities and rising rates of obesity.

It also sets out how existing measures to tackle the condition might be able to take this into account.

The report is being published for the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, which aims to encourage voluntary action by governments, business and NGOs.

The author of the report, Yoline Kuipers, has updated the new edition which now contains close to 100 projects, from the international level to local community initiatives.

The findings reveal the limitations of focusing on lifestyles and behaviour rather than on the economic and social factors which hinder efforts to reduce obesity.

Furthermore, the report adds weight to calls for a stronger focus on health inequalities across all sectors.

The innovative projects identified present some of the starting points for considering the role of health inequalities as they relate to the obesity problem.

To download the report, please visit the Equity Channel publications page.

For more information, please contact Yoline Kuipers.

EU looks for progress on working time rules

Equity Channel — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:08:00 +0200

The Equity Channel has produced a new policy briefing on the review of the EU Working Time Directive.

The briefing gives an overview of the first stage of a consultation process by the European Commission, to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing measures on working time.

Under the review proposals, the average working hours per week would be limited to 48 hours, but with a national “opt-out” clause enabling a worker to work longer average hours if he or she freely consents to do so.

The current legislation “does not ensure that workers’ health and safety is being effectively protected across the EU,” according to the European Commission.

As well as enhancing health and safety for employees, the review of the directive is also aimed at improving balance between work and private life and giving businesses and workers more flexibility about their working time.

In its briefing, the Equity Channel is keen to point out the importance of the directive in enhancing overall well-being.

“[A]mending the current Directive to promote working conditions that encourage and support a healthy work-life balance could significantly improve overall health and well-being of the EU workforce,” the paper explains.

The first stage of the consultation involves only the social partners.

The Commission will also carry out an impact assessment, which includes the legal application of the Directive in the Member States and a study of the related social and economic aspects.

You can download the full briefing paper from our publications page.

If you would like to comment on any aspect of the proposals, don’t forget to join our Equity Channel Community.

Equity Channel debate: moving the momentum forward

Equity Channel — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:37:00 +0200

EU policies should lead the way in shaping sustainable societies which promote well-being, say experts.

Part of this should involve a change of focus from economic growth for its own sake, towards other indicators of prosperity.

Economics, environment, health and research experts met in Brussels to debate how to accelerate this shift.

The event was organised by the Equity Channel and hosted under the banner of “Equity, Sustainability and Well-being”.

Choosing the right political arguments for better well-being, in all EU sectors, was one of the challenges identified.

During this event, the Equity Channel launched its Policy Précis series, which demonstrates the link between health equity and the anticipated EU policy agenda over the coming months.

These fact sheets will help guide stakeholders as they establish solid opportunities for action on better well-being.

You can download the fact sheets on our publications page.

The conference also discussed the growing momentum for change brought about by the economic crisis.

The European Commission has started to consider the next steps with its communication on measuring progress in a changing world.

As people re-think their priorities, experts have the opportunity to push for policies which promote sustainable development and better health, in the broadest sense.

Part of the process should be measuring the impact of different EU policies on well-being, the conference heard.

You can download the presentations from the Equity Channel Community.

What's next? The Equity Channel debate hasn't ended, because our online community provides a unique opportunity for you to discuss in detail these ideas and proposals.

What are the policy changes needed and the next steps? How can we negotiate politically for better well-being?

Help us to take action by adding your voice to the debate. To sign up, please go here.

European Commission presents “EU vision on global health”

Equity Channel — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:52:00 +0200

New proposals from the European Commission aim to give the EU a stronger role in global health.

Central to the plans is helping developing countries meet the health-related UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Commission hopes to contribute to better global health by building on existing mechanisms such as EU-funded research programmes, eHealth initiatives and environmental standards.

“The EU has an opportunity to combine its leading global roles in trade and in development aid with its commitment to social and environmental progress, to forge a coherent approach to global health,” the Commission says in its Communication on the EU Role in Global Health.

Also proposed is a greater level of support for the implementation of national health strategies, as part of EU development aid programmes.

The plans acknowledge that tackling the challenge of global health must involve work in a range of policy areas.

“The EU should address the multi-sector nature of health and its close links to gender, nutrition, water, sanitation, environmental quality and education in all relevant policy dialogues,” says the Commission.

“[T]he impact assessment of the relevant policy areas should analyse the effects of policy options on global health.”

With trade policy for example, the European Commission wants to ensure that “EU bilateral trade agreements avoid clauses which may undermine access to medicines.”

Furthermore, the plans call for the establishment of national and EU-level coordinators on global health.

The work of these co-ordinators will be assisted by “a platform to exchange information and meet regularly to agree on common positions and opportunities for joint action.”

The full text of the European Commission Communication on the EU Role in Global Health is available from the website of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Development.

[Image: European Union, 1995-2010]

Europe 2020 plans can go further for health equity

Equity Channel — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:03:00 +0100

Will EU plans to promote more growth and jobs include measures to ensure people’s well-being?

The promotion of well-being is after all a stated EU objective in the Treaty of Lisbon.

“The Union's aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples,” according to Title 1 of Article 3 of the Treaty.

Current proposals for the “Europe 2020” strategy are however still lacking in concrete measures to deliver socially inclusive, sustainable policies which promote health for all.

This is the central message of a new briefing document by the Equity Channel on the plans, which follows on from a previous post about the strategy.

Employment is one example of where EU policies can have a significant impact on health equity and well-being.

One of the five main “headline targets” for Europe 2020 is to achieve a rate of 75% employment for people aged 20-64.

What is not mentioned is how to ensure good quality employment as part of job creation strategies.

This should include jobs which are socially inclusive and non-discriminatory.

The WHO has underlined the importance of fair employment in a report on the social determinants of health.

"Through the assurance of fair employment and decent working conditions, government, employers, and workers can help eradicate poverty, alleviate social inequities, reduce exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards, and enhance opportunities for health and well-being,” the WHO says.

The Equity Channel briefing comes ahead of the Spring Council on 25/26 March, during which ministers from national governments will discuss the ten-year strategy.

EuroHealthNet is also holding a major debate on the Europe 2020 strategy and the policy options for fairer health, more sustainability and greater well-being for all.

Please remember to check this website for an update on the outcomes of the discussions, policy ideas and suggestions from academics, civil society and EU representatives.

The Equity Channel briefing on Europe 2020 is available on our publications page.

Social protection essential to reducing health gap, new survey finds

Equity Channel — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:21:00 +0100

Fresh evidence has emerged that strong social protection is key to reducing health inequalities and improving overall levels of well-being.

Differences in health and living standards are the main drivers of poor life satisfaction, according to a new report on subjective well-being in the EU.

In the EU15 (15 EU Member States prior to enlargement in 2004), levels of satisfaction are significantly lower among people with poor levels of self-rated health.

“People who rate their health as ‘very good’ have an average satisfaction level that is 2.1 points higher on a 10-point scale than those who rate their health as ‘bad’,” says the report from the the European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound).

The findings come ahead of an EU joint report on social protection and social inclusion, and underline the importance of strong social support systems.

“Social support is important in its own right, but is also significant in buffering the impact on life satisfaction of material disadvantage and health problems,” says Eurofound.

The need for governments to safeguard social security is also one of the main recommendations of a WHO report on the social and economic determinants of health.

“Generous universal social protection systems are associated with better population health, including lower excess mortality among the old and lower mortality levels among socially disadvantaged groups,” the WHO says.

The results also shows how better social protection can be a means of reducing differences in well-being between countries.

Social support for people with disabilities, for example, is stronger in some countries than others, and has an impact on individual satisfaction.

“[P]eople with a severe disability in the Nordic countries remain more satisfied with life than those with a severe disability in most other countries,” the report says.

The survey involved interviews with 1,000 respondents across Europe aged 18 years and over, and was targeted in nationally representative samples.

You can download the full Eurofound survey from the Eurofound website.

More information about the upcoming EU joint report on social protection and social inclusion can be found here.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health is available here.

[Image: Euofound]

New EU agreement on extended parental leave

Equity Channel — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:09:00 +0100

Employment ministers have adopted a revised EU directive to extend minimum parental leave to four months per parent.

The new legislation follows an agreement among European social partners to extend parental leave in an effort to improve work-life balance and encourage fathers to take leave after the birth of a child.

A joint agreement on family leave was signed last year by European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), BusinessEurope, the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services (CEEP) and the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME).

The new rules will now be applicable to all employees in all Member States and to all types of contract, as “an important means of reconciling professional and family responsibilities and promoting equal opportunities and treatment between men and women”.

Employers are encouraged to provide parental leave which cannot be transferred between partners, so as to “encourage a more equal take-up of leave by both parents”.

It is also set out clearly in the new directive that the right to this extended parental leave applies equally to people working on a fixed contract, part-time or in temporary work.

The WHO has said that parental leave is an important part of improving overall health and well-being.

“Rebalancing work and private life requires government policy and legislative support that provides parents the right to time to look after children,” according to a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

“These include the provision of quality childcare facilities, policies on flexible working hours and parental leave for men and women,” the report adds.

The full EU directive on parental leave can be accessed here.

The WHO report on social determinants of health is available from the WHO website.

[Image: "Father and Son" by Leonard John Matthews, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike license]

European Commission presents ten-year plan for growth and jobs

Equity Channel — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:01:00 +0100

The European Commission has unveiled its new ten-year economic plan to boost growth and jobs.

The so-called "Europe 2020" proposals include calls for more to be done to tackle social and economic inequalities.

“A major effort will be needed to combat poverty and social exclusion and reduce health inequalities to ensure that everybody can benefit from growth,” the European Commission says.

One of the key targets put forward to achieve this aim is to reduce the number of Europeans living below national poverty lines by 25 per cent, taking 20 million people out of poverty.

This work would be assisted by setting up a "European platform against poverty", allowing everyone to benefit from the push for stronger growth and greater employment.

The platform would involve both public and private organisations to “design and implement programmes to promote social innovation for the most vulnerable, in particular by providing innovative education, training, and employment opportunities for deprived communities,” according to the plan.

One proposal put forward is the development of a common language and operational tool for education/training and work, a European Skills, Competences and Occupations framework (ESCO).

Measures to adapt to an ageing population in Europe are also proposed, with the Commission keen to introduce “active ageing policies” in order to increase productivity.

The strategy also includes specific targets to raise the employment rate of the population aged 20-64 from the current 69 per cent to at least 75 per cent, and to reduce the share of early school leavers from 15 per cent to 10 per cent.

The target of reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% compared to 1990 levels or by 30% following an international agreement is also reiterated as part of the Europe 2020 plans.

“It will take strong leadership, commitment and an effective delivery mechanism to change attitudes and practices in the EU to deliver the results which are summarised in these targets,” the Commission says.

National governments will meet during the Spring Council to decide how to take forward the Europe 2020 proposals.

The Equity Channel will be hosting a timely exhibition and open debate on March 24, just before the ministers are due to meet, to discuss how better health and wellbeing contribute to social, environmental and economic needs in light of these new developments.

For more information about this interactive session, and if you would like to register, please go here.

Registration closes on March 15 and is free to members of the Equity Channel Community.

To access the full EU 2020 proposals, please visit the European Commission Europe 2020 website.

[Image: European Commission]

European Commission: reducing health inequalities essential to better public spending

Equity Channel — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:39:00 +0100

The European Commission has called for greater consideration of the health impacts of different policies to ensure better use of public funds.

Large amounts of public money are current being spent to treat avoidable illness and disease, an average of 9% of GDP per country in the EU.

Tackling this “drain on society” requires a stronger focus on the social and economic determinants of health, according to a Commission communication on social protection.

“Redressing health inequalities calls for attention to the social determinants of health in all policies, effective healthcare delivery, and a re-examination of priorities,” the commission says.

Living conditions, in particular housing quality, are identified by the Commission as one important part of improving health equity.

“The quality of housing stocks remains a challenge despite efforts to improve standards... [c]oncentrations of housing exclusion and homelessness can only be addressed through housing and urban regeneration programmes to promote sustainable communities and social mix,” the commission says.

The importance of good quality housing is confirmed by a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

“Not only is the provision of shelter essential, but the quality of the shelter and the services associated with it, such as water and sanitation, are also vital contributors to health,” according to the WHO report.

In the UK, the Presidents of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) have recently stressed the importance of good housing for good health.

“There is a need for central government and local government to recognise the importance of housing to our health and well-being and to act and prioritise accordingly,” say Howard Farrand and Stephen Battersby in a joint letter to the Times newspaper.

Their words follow a report from the Building Research Establishment (BRE) which states that 22% of houses in the UK have serious defects can lead to serious health risks.

The European Commission also points out that reducing unfair health gaps will result in greater employment, productivity and growth throughout Europe.

This is essential at a time when economic recovery and Europe’s ageing population are placing a strain on public funds.

“Recovery packages have secured the ground for economic growth, but they have also reduced the hard-won public finance improvements intended to provide room for extra expenditure to address ageing,” the Commission says.

The communication comes in advance of a proposed Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2010, and can be accessed here.

It will now go to the European Parliament and to national governments for further discussion.

The WHO report can be found on this website.

The letter from the CIH/CIEH can be read in full here and the BRE report is available via the BRE Bookshop.

England: Invest in early years to reduce inequalities

Equity Channel — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:03:00 +0100

A new report has called for greater investment in early childhood development to tackle the persistent problem of health inequalities in England.

The scale of the problem is such that people in poorer parts of England have shorter lives and experience up to 17 more years in poor health.

Furthermore, a total of up to 2.5 million extra years of life would be enjoyed by those dying prematurely each year as a result of social and economic inequalities.

“What happens during these early years, starting in the womb, has lifelong effects on many aspects of health and well-being – from obesity, heart disease and mental health, to educational achievement and economic status,” the report says.

Fair employment and good working conditions are also highlighted as important factors which have a significant impact on health differences.

“Lack of control and lack of reward at work are critical determinants of a variety of stress-related disorders,” the report says.

The document represents the outcomes of a national review of health inequalities in England, the first of its kind.

The initiative is based on a series of global recommendations by the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

England's national review was led by the international epidemiologist Sir Michael Marmot, who also chaired the WHO commission.

The recommendations for policy action in England were drawn up by a team of 10 Commissioners including Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians, and Professor Ian Diamond, the Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.

The full text of the report, plus an executive summary and individual chapters, are available on the UCL website here.

You can watch a conference dedicated to the main outcomes of the report on this website.

Europeans unhappy with way inequalities are addressed, survey finds

Equity Channel — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:26:00 +0100

Most people in Europe are unhappy with the way inequalities are dealt with, a new survey has found.

Fifteen per cent of citizens feel that current measures to tackle inequalities are “very bad”.

Furthermore, only 2 per cent of people think that “very good” work is being done in this area.

Nearly half of the people questioned said that they felt that policies which aim to improve unfair inequalities have not changed in the last 5 years.

Over a third of people said that they felt these policies are worse than before, and very few people (12 per cent) expect things to improve in the next 12 months.

Despite low expectations regarding policies, a majority of people expressed high levels of well-being.

Four out of five Europeans say they are happy with the lives they lead.

However, there are still differences between countries in terms of individual satisfaction.

98 per cent of Danes who were questioned say they are satisfied with their lives, compared to 51 per cent of respondents in Hungary who are dissatisfied.

Satisfaction among Europeans is about more than their financial situation.

Just above half (51 per cent) of those that regularly struggle with paying their bills feel satisfied with their life.

Work and education were cited as important factors linked to higher levels of well-being.

The Eurobarometer survey measures public opinion across Europe and was carried out by the European Commission.

The survey forms part of the EU’s Social Situation Report and can be downloaded in full here.

WHO seeking latest medical technology for global challenges

Equity Channel — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:42:00 +0100

The WHO is urgently looking for innovative medical devices to help tackle current global health concerns.

The technologies may already exist or may be under development, and should be accessible, appropriate and affordable for use in low- and middle-income countries.

The call for these devices comes amid concerns about HIV/AIDS, malaria, cancer and deficient maternal health.

Depressive disorders, alcohol-related illnesses, road traffic accidents and ischemic heart disease are also identified as priority global health concerns.

In its search for new technologies, the WHO is specifically looking for medical devices as defined by the Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF).

They include instruments, medical equipment, implants, disposables, assistive devices and software, used mainly for the purpose of prevention, diagnosis, monitoring or treatment of disease.

The technologies can also be used for control of conception, rehabilitation, or measuring, restoring or correcting physiological functions.

These technologies may be commercialised or in a non-commercialised stage.

The call does not cover clinical procedures, medicinal products, vaccines, biological therapeutic products or tissue engineered medical products.

Manufacturers, institutions, universities, governments, individuals and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply, with numbers limited to one submission per applicant.

The application form should be completed in English, signed and e-mailed as a PDF document to medicaldevices [at] who.int.

Receipt of applications will be confirmed by e-mail.

The deadline for submission is 31 January 2010.

Please click here for further details.

[Photo: © European Communities, 1995-2009]

EU begins Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion

Equity Channel — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:19:00 +0100

The EU has officially launched its Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

The campaign aims to draw attention to the fight against poverty throughout the next 12 months, with the slogan “Stop Poverty Now!”

An important aim within the context of the current economic downturn is the drive towards greater social inclusion throughout Europe.

“It is too often the vulnerable in society who end up being hardest hit by the impacts of a recession,” said EU Commission President José Manuel Durão Barroso.

Barroso said that social inclusion would be part of the EU growth and jobs strategy for the next decade.

“The European Year 2010 should act as a catalyst to raise awareness and build momentum for a more inclusive society which is part and parcel of the EU’s future 2020 strategy that I have proposed," he added.

Recent data from the EU statistical office (Eurostat) showed that in 2008, 17% of the population in the EU were at risk of poverty.

Two big themes for this year are therefore to raise greater awareness of the causes and consequences of poverty in Europe, and to promote social integration and inclusion.

The WHO has said that social inclusion is essential for health equity, and recommends the establishment of adequate social protection for all.

"It is important for population health in general, and health of lower socioeconomic groups in particular, that social protection systems are designed such that they are universal in scope,” according to a WHO report on health inequalities.

“Universal approaches are important for the dignity and self-respect of those who need social protection the most,” the WHO adds.

This message is reaffirmed by the Equity Channel in an article in the latest issue of ‘Exchange’, the newsletter of the European Commission’s employment directorate.

This special edition of the newsletter has a focus on combating poverty and social exclusion, and can be downloaded here.

The Eurostat data are available on this website.

The WHO report on health inequalities can be found on this site.

EU states lacking data on health inequalities and determinants

Equity Channel — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:05:00 +0100

There are large gaps in the data and capacity available to monitor health inequalities between and within EU countries, according to a report by EuroHealthNet.

Many national governments are failing to regularly assess the extent of health inequalities, and there is no set of common indicators agreed in the EU over how this should be done.

EuroHealthNet has found that many Member States are lacking sufficient sensitive data with which to develop integrated policies and actions to tackle the increasing problem of unfair health differences in Europe.

A common set of indicators, standard definitions and methodologies to collect, process and analyse data are all needed due to the complex nature of these differences, which are influenced by numerous factors beyond the health sector.

For this to happen, there must be a more coordinated approach adopted at EU level, EuroHealthNet says.

EU action should support member states with the collection of data going beyond the general population, linking health data to socio-economic markers such as level of education, income, occupation.

In addition, the systematic gathering of evidence would strengthen the knowledge about the impact of social, economic and other policies on the gradient in health across the population.

Both the WHO and the European Commission have acknowledged the importance of improving the existing data and of reaching agreement about how best to monitor the extent of the problem.

EuroHealthNet welcomes the efforts of the Spanish presidency of the EU to make this issue their key health theme, to be debated at an expert conference in April 2010.

The Eurohealthnet report is available here.

How should the EU proceed in order to carry this out in the most effective way? We welcome your comments.

Dalli to focus on health determinants

Equity Channel — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:56:14 +0100

European Commissioner designate for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli has said that the unequal distribution of health outcomes across the EU posed “a challenge to the EU’s fundamental objective of solidarity and cohesion.”

Tackling health determinants would be part of what Mr. Dalli called his “overarching long term goal", to ensure "the wellbeing of EU citizens”.

“Concentrating on health determinants will lead to better health outcomes and therefore, address health inequalities,” he said.

Mr. Dalli acknowledged that while consumer and pharmaceutical policy are important new aspects of the European Commission’s work on health, he said that prevention was also a priority.

“To secure sustainability we must focus on prevention,” he said.

“It is imperative to focus on the health determinants of disease and ill health,” he added.

Mr Dalli was speaking at a hearing by the European Parliaments committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

The new portfolio for the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy has changed considerably from the responsibilities taken up by former EU health chief Androulla Vassiliou.

It now incorporates pharmaceutical policy in addition to consumer policy, a shuffle which has caused some concern that the focus of the new European Commission may shift towards industry and consumer interests, taking emphasis from the public health aspects.

Also discussed at the hearing for Mr Dalli was the failure of the Council of Ministers to reach agreement on the Cross Border Patients Right Directive during the Swedish Presidency.

Delays in finalizing the pharmaceutical package, healthy ageing, GMO research and its impact on food safety and product labeling for consumer information were also on the agenda.

You can read John Dalli’s written responses to a questionnaire from the committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety here.

His speech at the hearing is available to download here.

Unfair health differences hitting EU economy hard, says new report

Equity Channel — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:15:00 +0100

Avoidable health inequalities are harming the European economy, a new Determine report has found.

The report cites evidence of how preventable ill health led to productivity losses costing an estimated €141 billion in 2004.

Additionally, number of life years lost due to deaths that can be attributed to health inequalities in the EU is approximately 11.4 million, according to a study for the European Commission carried out by Professor Mackenbach.

“There are strong economic arguments for investing in health at population level,” according to Determine coordinator Ingrid Stegeman.

The document also cites examples of several interventions which demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of action on health determinants.

The benefits of walking and cycling track networks in Norwegian are estimated to outweigh costs by a factor of 4.5:1.

Similarly, in Scotland, if 40% of all short journeys were switched from car to bicycle, it would result in an estimated saving of at least £2 billion per year due to reduced mortality.

These findings add weight to the existing momentum for EU action to improve the social and economic determinants of health.

“Since economic and social cohesion and solidarity are amongst the main objectives of the EU...all broadly relevant EU policies and programmes should be assessed as to whether they contribute to this goal,” said Clive Needle, Director of EuroHealthNet.

The report was written by Teresa Lavin and Owen Metcalfe of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland, and forms part of the Determine project being coordinated by EuroHealthNet.

Determine is an EU-funded consortium of representatives from 26 EU countries, working towards strengthening the knowledge base on policies and actions on health inequalities.

This report and additional evidence from Determine will be presented at a high-level meeting in Paris on health inequalities.

The meeting will also feature a presentation by Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin will also participate.

To download the Determine report, please visit the EU health inequalities portal here.

The programme of the Paris conference on health inequalities can be accessed here.

EuroHealthNet urges EC to make 2020 a healthier new year

Equity Channel — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:36:00 +0100

EuroHealthNet, the network linking health promotion bodies in the EU, has urged European Commission chiefs to revise their draft plan for economic strategies to include health and social improvements.

Responding to the current consultation process for the EU 2020 proposal, the Brussels-based organisation points out that the Commission recently published its proposals for addressing health and social inequalities but has overlooked its own plans in the suggested priorities to replace the Lisbon strategy.

“We looked in vain for mentions of how health will contribute to meeting EU objectives” said EuroHealthNet director Clive Needle, “after all, wellbeing is included as an aim in Article 3 of the new EU Treaty so we expect leaders to demonstrate how they will help to deliver it."

"But our New Year Message to President Barroso and colleagues is you can do much better – and better health for EU citizens can help you meet your aims," he said.

"The omission of health as an economic benefit is unacceptable and we call on EU Member States and the new Commissioners to substantially revise the draft text. Lisbon is failing because the objectives were ill judged , and we fear the 2020 objectives will also be missed on the basis of the first draft," he added.

"By the midterm review we will also see how the EU is playing its part towards achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, so now is the time to adopt an inclusive approach to tackling the real causes of ill health regionally and globally – and the evidence shows that needs sustainable economic, social and environmental actions.”

EuroHealthNet has pointed out that between EU states there is a 14 year gap in life expectancy at birth for men and an 8 year gap for women. It calls on EC leaders to take into account such data in economic planning, and to take up the recommendations of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health.

In October the EC published its Communication on strategies to address such health and social inequalities, which implied progress in the post Lisbon priorities.

In its consultation response EuroHealthNet recommends:

•    the inclusion of indicators showing policymakers the extent and cost of inequities;
•    a stronger sustainable development approach
•    investment in improvement of wellbeing measures, particularly in early years of life.

EuroHealthNet is a member of the EU Health Policy Forum and is also supporting that body’s response on the public health implications of the 2020 plan.

The EuroHealthNet consultation response in full is available from the publications page.

Prosperity is about more than market values, say experts

Equity Channel — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:38:00 +0100

Experts continue to question the use of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of prosperity.

Researchers say that using GDP to guide policy can be misleading, because of its potential failure to indicate problems such as environmental sustainability or social inclusion.

A side event is being held by the European Economic and Social Committee during the UN COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen, to present several new initiatives aimed at measuring overall “well-being”.

The event includes a presentation of the main findings of a report by the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (CMEPSP), published in September this year.

The CMEPSP is also known as the Stiglitz Commission, after its chair, Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz of Columbia University.

The Stiglitz Commission say that GDP did not succeed in capturing some phenomena which have an increasing impact on the well-being of citizens.

“[I]t has long been clear that GDP is an inadequate metric to gauge well-being over time, particularly in its economic, environmental, and social dimensions,” the report says.

The CMEPSP report also suggests that this inability to properly measure well-being may explain why the financial crisis had such a big impact.

“One of the reasons why the crisis took many by surprise is that our measurement system failed us and/or market participants and government officials were not focusing on the right set of statistical indicators,” the report says.

The drive to look beyond GDP as a way of measuring progress is an important issue for the EU.

The European Commission has published a Communication on "GDP and beyond: Measuring progress in a changing world", which strengthens calls for better indicators of progress.

"The overall aim is to develop more inclusive indicators that provide a more reliable knowledge base for better public debate and policy-making," the document says.

A good standard of health across a population has been suggested by the WHO as a reliable indicator of the overall “well-being” of a society.

“Where policies – in whichever field of action – aim to improve wellbeing in the population, health is a measure of success of those policies,” according to a WHO report on health inequalities.

“Health equity is a measure of the degree to which those policies are able to distribute well-being fairly,” the report adds.

More information about the EESC event on measuring prosperity can be found here.

The CMESP report can be downloaded here.

The Communication from the European Commission is available here.

For more information about the WHO report on health inequalities, please visit this site.

[Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net]

Adapting to an ageing Europe

Equity Channel — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:50:00 +0100

More health promoting activities are needed for older people if Europe is to cope with future demographic challenges.

This was the main message of a conference on health ageing in Europe, organised by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health in cooperation with the Swedish Presidency of the EU.

A report of the conference, “Healthy ageing in Europe‐ lessons learnt and ways forward”, was produced by EuroHealthNet and presents a summary of the conference and next steps forward for the healthy ageing agenda in the EU.

Key messages on policy, practice and research are outlined in the document, serving as useful guidlines for the European Commission in preparation for its upcoming communication on ageing and health.

Also mentioned are several examples of good practice from across the EU, which can serve as a good base for more in-depth discussions with expert stakeholders and which can in turn lead to strong policy recommendations.

The full report can be accessed here.

Europe equips itself for challenges ahead

Equity Channel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:01:00 +0100

The Equity Channel has produced a policy briefing outlining the main implications of the Treaty of Lisbon as they relate to health.

As the long-awaited Treaty of Lisbon enters into force, we can expect to see a more modern EU start to operate.

The Treaty consists of several institutional changes, new opportunities to deal with cross-border issues and a more prominent focus on citizens rights.

"With the new Treaty, the EU is strengthened in important areas,” said Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, whose country currently holds the EU Presidency.

Of particular importance is the inclusion of a direct reference to the "wellbeing" of the population, which paves the way for a consideration of the impact of all EU policies on human wellbeing.

Citizens are given better protection through the charter of fundamental rights, which now has the same legal status as the EU treaties themselves.

Additionally, the new “European citizens initiative” allows people to make a request to the European Commission for it to propose a new initiative.

By providing a strengthened role for the European Parliament, as well as national parliaments, it is also hoped that the Treaty will help people to feel more involved in the EU decision-making processes.

You can access the briefing on our publications page.

World Aids Day 2009

Equity Channel — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:51:00 +0100

Today is officially World AIDS day, this year marked with an international theme of universal access & human rights.

Since 1988, the aim of World Aids Day has been to raise public awareness of HIV/AIDS, improving the knowledge and education about the disease and fighting stigma.

Today there is still much to be done to realise these aims.

According to UNAIDS statistics, there are currently 33.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.5 million of those are children.

95% of those people with HIV/AIDS live in developing nations.

Greater efforts are need to reduce discrimination and provide equal access to prevention, treatment and care.

The emphasis this year is on achieving universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care by 2010.

Part of this has to involve action to remove discriminatory laws against people living with HIV/AIDS, women and marginalized groups.

Countries are also encouraged to reflect and realize their commitments made to protect human rights, in both the ‘Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS 2001’ and the ‘Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS 2006’.

Alongside this, the European Commission has recently published its renewed Strategy on “Combating HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighboring countries 2009-2013”.

You can access to the full European Commission document here.

The Equity Channel calls on all governments to fulfill their commitments, to fight for equity in access to prevention and treatment, and promoting the protection of human rights of all groups.

Ministers hope to ensure equitable employment strategy

Equity Channel — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:21:00 +0100

National ministers are attempting to push for greater equity as part of future EU employment plans.

The EU 2020 strategy for growth and jobs is the main focus of a meeting of employment and social affairs ministers this week.

The need to adopt a universal, equity-focused policy was emphasised in a report by the European Commission Social Protection Committee.

The Committee said that current employment policies need to be made more inclusive.

“[R]ecent employment increases have not sufficiently reached those furthest away from the labour market, and jobs have not always succeeded in lifting people out of poverty,” the report says.

Policies which ensure greater inclusion within society and the labour market are an important part of achieving health equity.

“Political empowerment for health and health equity requires strengthening the fairness by which all groups in a society are included or represented in decision-making,” according to a WHO report on health inequalities.

Gender equality in the workplace and fair treatment for fathers wishing to take parental leave, are among the topics being discussed by EU ministers.

A genuine ability to take action is needed, however, if women are to take advantage of the health benefits from greater gender equity.

“Effective implementation of laws that promote gender equity also requires that women know of and are empowered to claim their rights and challenge gender inequity – by means of expanding their capabilities, particularly through education and paid employment,” the WHO report says.

Also being addressed is the progress of proposed legislation to ensure equal social protection regardless of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Reliable social protection for all is important for health equity.

“It is important for population health in general, and health of lower socioeconomic groups in particular, that social protection systems are designed such that they are universal in scope,” the WHO says.

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council is being chaired by Swedish Minister for Employment Sven Otto Littorin, pictured, and Minister for Integration and Gender Equality Nyamko Sabuni.

More information about the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council can be found here.

Please check this website again for an update on the outcomes of this meeting.

The WHO report can be accessed here.

[Photo: se2009.eu]

New European Commissioners designate announced

Equity Channel — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:40:00 +0100

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, has announced the new team of EU Commissioners for the term 2009-2014.

Of particular interest is the new EU Commissioner designate for health and consumer affairs, John Dalli, from Malta, currently the country’s Minister for Social Policy.

As Minister for Social Policy, Dalli has been responsible for health, employment, housing, labour, and industrial relations.

He has also been Malta’s parliamentary secretary responsible for industry and Minister of finance and economic affairs.

Slovenian Janez Potocnik, formerly commissioner for research, has been named for the environment portfolio, while employment social affairs and inclusion will be the responsibility of Hungary’s László Andor.

The previous health commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has been designated for education, culture, multilingualism and youth.

Please note that the new commission must gain approval from the European Parliament before it takes office for a term of office running until 31 October 2014.

Commissioners-designate will appear in individual hearings before Parliamentary committees from 11-19 January.

For more information, please visit the European Commission website here.

EU wants input for future work on growth and jobs

Equity Channel — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:08:00 +0100

The European Commission is looking for views on its future strategy for growth and jobs.

Views are sought on how the EU can increase productivity and competitiveness while at the same time fostering social cohesion and environmentally friendly policies.

The EU 2020 strategy seeks to establish a “sustainable social market economy” which leads the way in new markets and with innovative services and products.

The document adds however that building Europe’s strength as a market economy will allow for leadership in setting stronger environmental and labour standards.

Higher levels of labour market inclusion through education, reliable social protection and genuine gender equality are all highlighted as objectives.

Additionally, the strategy aims at developing alternatives to road transport, low-carbon electricity generation and greater energy independence for Europe as a whole.

We are keen to hear your views as to whether the EU can achieve these socially responsible goals whilst driving forward plans to increase industry competitiveness in world markets.

“We should [place] particular emphasis on market access, access to energy and raw materials, and progress on environmental and social objectives,” the document says.

The commission is expected to adopt a communication on the EU 2020 strategy during the Spring European Council early in 2010.

You can access the full consultation document here.

Please note that the deadline for responding to this consultation is 15 January 2010.

Energy efficient homes are healthy homes

Equity Channel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:44:00 +0100

A long-awaited regulation on labelling is part of the latest attempt by the EU to bring about greater energy efficiency.

Decision-makers have agreed on measures to raise consumer awareness of the energy performance of various appliances such as refrigerators and freezers, televisions and washing machines.

The Energy Labelling Directive means that manufacturers of these products will have to indicate the energy consumption irrespective of whether the product performs well (“A”), or poorly (“G”).

The WHO has said that encouraging domestic energy efficiency is an important part of helping to achieve health equity.

“Domestic energy inefficiencies and related fuel poverty have a number of effects on health and are very socially patterned,” according to a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

More energy efficient homes will mean that it is easier for those on a low income to heat their home to an adequate temperate.

An agreement has also been reached on the updated Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, originally adopted in 2002, means that all new buildings in the EU will have to meet high energy standards.

All buildings built after 31 December 2020 must be powered to a large extent by renewable energy, while public authorities will have to meet these requirements two years earlier.

“Buildings account for 40 % of Europe’s energy use and are therefore an important piece of the puzzle to reduce the EU’s impact on the climate,” said Sweden’s Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson.

The regulation on buildings is part of the EU's Second Strategic Energy Review, which aims for better energy security in Europe.

For more information on the new energy regulations, please go here.

The WHO report can be downloaded from here.

Can EU tackle food security in developing world?

Equity Channel — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:15:00 +0100

The European Commission is looking for views about the best ways to assist developing countries in addressing agriculture and food security challenges.

The development directorate-general has issued a public consultation on topics such as how EU development policy might contribute to increased food production in developing countries.

The consultation, which takes the form of a questionnaire, also covers the potential advantages and disadvantages of an EU-wide policy on agriculture and food security and the role of European support for other countries’ regional agricultural policies.

Also considered is how such a policy might help address the imbalances in household food distribution and weak social networks, for example access to adequate food among vulnerable groups such as women and children.

Food security can help provide adequate nutrition for children from the very beginning and is therefore important for fair health, according to the WHO.

“It is important to support... the availability of and access to healthy diets for infants and young children through improving food security,” said a WHO report on health inequalities.

“Healthy development during the early years provides the essential building blocks that enable people to lead a flourishing life in many domains, including social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being,” the report adds.

For more information on the impact of other policies on families and children, please visit the Gradient project website.

The EU is keen to reflect on its role in the current international agriculture and food security context before the 2010 review of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The European Commission says that a policy on agriculture and food security in developing countries may help with progress towards achieving the MDGs target given the difficulties encountered with the food, economic and financial crises.

The deadline for responding to this consultation is 9 January 2010.

You can access the full consultation document on this page.

The WHO report is available here.

[Photo: © European Communities, ECHO]

Projects on obesity and health equity sought

Equity Channel — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:45:00 +0100

The Equity Channel offers you the opportunity to be involved in the production of a new report on obesity and health equity.

In July this year, EuroHealthNet published a report called ‘Focusing on obesity through a health equity lens’, which describes over 70 projects implemented in 20 different countries in Europe.

The approaches and practices included are running at local, national and European level.

The document is publicly available on both EuroHealthNet’s website and the Equity Channel website, and has already been downloaded many times.

Elsewhere, multiple online libraries have added the document to their collection and the report is being used by people working on equity and obesity all around the world.

Following the success of the report, EuroHealthNet has decided to produce an updated second edition, and has now started a new round of collecting information and project descriptions.

The new report will also include a chapter on practices implemented ‘overseas’, as many people working in the United States and Latin America have showed their interest to contribute.

This second edition will be published in March 2010 and will serve to raise further awareness on this very important issue. New project descriptions, scientific data and suggestions for updates on implemented strategies and policies can be send in until the 18^th of December.

If you are interested in contributing or if you wish to receive further information, please contact the author of the report:

Yoline Kuipers, Project Officer EuroHealthNet

y.kuipers@eurohealthnet.eu

+32 (0) 2 235 0327

Debating the uncertain future of European agriculture

Equity Channel — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:51:00 +0100

Questions remain over the future shape and purpose of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) beyond 2013.

In particular, agricultural policy will need to adapt to climate change, to the challenge of food security and above all it will need sufficient funding to do so.

In addition to affecting agriculture, these issues are all important for health equity, as acknowledge by the WHO.

“Climate change, urbanization, rural development, agriculture, and food security are intertwined determinants of population health and health equity,” said a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

Health equity is therefore directly relevant to the agenda of workshops on the future of the CAP, such as that recently held by the European Parliament’s Agricultural and Rural Development Committee.

Paolo de Castro, chair of the committee, reminded people that change to the CAP is imminent given the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, which will give the European Parliament the power of co-decision over agricultural affairs and the EU Budget review.

Discussing the future priorities of the CAP and how these priorities should be funded, President of the Agriculture Council Eskil Erlandsson stressed that climate change considerations must be factored into future CAP priorities.

The challenge of food security was raised by Marianne Fischer Boel, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, who said that “the predicted growth in the world population will lead to an increase in food production of about 70%-100% by 2050 and this will have a direct affect on dietary patterns due to the increase in meat consumption in Asia”.

There were others who were keen to push for a more health conscience CAP, where agricultural output reflects healthy eating patterns and includes dairy and meat produce with lower fat and saturated fat contents.

Public health organisations are also encouraging the European Commission to extend the Most Deprived Person scheme while also continuing to invest in the European School Milk Scheme and School Fruit Scheme.

The European Commission is expected to produce a “menu” of general options for discussion on CAP reform in the second half of 2010, with a view to presenting more concrete proposals in 2011.

Please follow these links for more information about the EU Common Agricultural Policy, the Most Deprived Persons Scheme and the European School Milk Scheme.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health is available here.

[Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net]

Disability-related health problems can be cut by a third, says report

Equity Channel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:00 +0100

A Swedish survey has found that better social and economic conditions can improve the health of people with disabilities by up to a third.

The report shows how risk of poor health decreases by as much as 37 per cent for men and 29 per cent for women in Sweden when age, level of education, insulting personal treatment and social participation are taken into account.

These external influences are thought to be the cause a significant proportion of the poor health which exists among people with disabilities.

“A third of this poor health is not due to the impairment or disability; it is due to additional factors...that you can do something about,” said Magnus Wimmercranz of the Swedish National Institute of Public Health.

Wimmercranz said that these results should encourage urgent action on the structural aspects of society which influence the health of people with disabilities.

“We already know what we need to know, now is the time for action,” he said.

“It has to do with education, getting better jobs, getting better pay, getting more confidence... deciding [how to live] your own life,” he added.

These findings were the main topic of a conference organised by EuroHealthNet on “The Health of People with Disabilities”.

The conference addressed the imbalance of poor health among this group of people, the extent to which this comes from avoidable causes and appropriate action which can be taken at European level.

The conference comes in the wake of an action plan from the European Commission to reduce these unfair differences in health.

Participants included representatives from the Swedish Government, the Swedish National Institute of Public Health, the European Commission and the European Disability Forum.

"[The] health of people with disabilities is a human rights issue, and all EU policies must contribute to the enforcement of this fundamental right," said Silvio Grieco from the European Commission's directorate-general for empoyment.

Please go to the Swedish National Institute of Public Health website to download the report (in Swedish) on the health of people with disabilities. An English summary is also available.

The European Commission communication on health inequalities is available here.

For more information about EuroHealthNet, please visit www.eurohealthnet.eu

Levels of child obesity in England may stop rising, says report

Equity Channel — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:18:00 +0100

The increase in obesity levels among English children may soon stop, according to a new report.

Data collected by the National Heart Forum, an Equity Channel partner, suggests that the previously rising trend for child obesity in England may at last be levelling out.

Forecasts for child obesity for 2020 predict a decline in the proportion of overweight boys aged 2-11 years from 22% to 17% plus a sharp fall in the proportion of overweight girls from 34% to 17%.

The proportion of obese boys is expected to fall from 20% to 13%, with a similar decline expected for obese girls, from 14% to 10%.

Professor Klim McPherson of Oxford University, and Chair of the National Heart Forum, said that these figures should encourage sustained action to tackle obesity.

“[P]revalence, and current trends, of excess weight are still unacceptably high and these figures should not be taken as an argument for complacency,” he said.

“The Government needs to keep up the work they are doing to tackle obesity,” he added.

The report, 'Obesity Trends for Children Aged 2-11: Analysis from the Health Survey for England 1993 – 2007", also anticipates positive trends for young people aged 12-19 years.

The predicted proportion of overweight boys in 2020 decreases from 25% to 18% and of obese boys decreases from 19% to 6%.

The predicted proportion of overweight girls decreases from 35% to 29% and of obese girls decreases from 30% to 9%.

The WHO has said stressed the long-term importance of ensuring social and economic conditions which give everyone the right to a healthy childhood.

“Healthy development during the early years provides the essential building blocks that enable people to lead a flourishing life,” says a WHO report on health inequalities.

The WHO report also stresses that tackling obesity must go beyond encouraging changes to individual lifestyle choices.

“[O]besity is not caused by moral failure on the part of individuals but by the excess availability of high-fat and high-sugar foods,” the report adds.

The National Heart Forum forecasts are based on Health Survey for England (HSE) obesity data between 2000 and 2007, and were compared to previous forecasts based on survey data till 2004.

You can download the full report on child obesity trends from the National Heart Forum website.

The WHO report can be accessed here.

EU urged to maintain momentum in drive towards health equity

Equity Channel — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:09:00 +0100

The Equity Channel has produced an ambitious briefing to drive forward EU plans to tackle health inequalities.

The paper summarises the main points of the communication from the European Commission on this topic, and suggests a series of “next steps” for policymakers.

Suggested measures include the use of indicators to measure the impact of EU policies on health equity and a sharper focus on strategies which can be shown to genuinely reduce the avoidable differences in people’s health.

Additionally, the European Commission is urged to strengthen the ability of different partners to work together, by sharing knowledge and expertise across many different sectors.

Please click here to download the Equity Channel briefing document.

The Equity Channel website is an excellent example of how different partners can showcase the work being carried out across sectors to reduce health inequalities.

EuroHealthNet, an Equity Channel partner, has substantial experience of working on health inequalities within member states via its Determine project, which is currently analysing how well-equipment national governments are to act on the problem.

The EU-funded Gradient project, also co-ordinated by EuroHealthNet, is looking at the impact of public health policies on families and children.

Other partners include University College London, which is carrying out a review of health inequalities in England post 2010, and Business in the Community, which is addressing the role of the private sector in addressing health inequalities.

If you would like get involved and benefit from being part of this unique platform, please go to this section of our website.

European labour market must get stronger, says report

Equity Channel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0100

Welfare systems must encourage employment if they are to be sustainable, a new report has found.

The study, by Sweden’s Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation (IFAU), says that Europe’s ageing population means more people need to be in work if the economy is to cope with the trend.

“[T]he demographic trends are unfavourable for the sustainability of the welfare state,” the report says.

“[A] declining share of individuals in the working-age has to raise the necessary revenues to support the growing share of economically inactive individuals,” the report adds.

The report stresses that rather than reducing levels of insurance or income support, it is important for these welfare systems to have effective screening of disability claims, monitoring of behaviour, or a finite duration of benefit receipt.

The report makes no mention however of ensuring access to quality work and good working conditions so that employment does not have an unfair negative effect on people’s health.

A WHO report on the social and economic determinants of health says that poor work quality may affect mental health almost as much as loss of work, while work-related stress is associated with a greater risk of coronary heart disease.

“It is good for both the economy and health equity to make the promotion of fair employment and decent work a central focus in countries’ policy agendas,” the WHO report says.

While the IFAU findings show how properly targeted active labour market policies can help disadvantaged people get back into work, these policies should take health into account.

Discussions about labour market inclusion have been held by the Swedish Presidency of the EU, ahead of the launch of the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

"We must make the path back to a healthier life and a return to work easier for those who have been excluded," said Swedish Minister for Social Security Cristina Husmark Pehrsson, pictured.

You can access the IFAU report from the Swedish Presidency website.

The WHO report on the social and economic determinants of health is available here.

Please go to this section of the European Commission website to find out more about the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

Photo: Gunnar Seijbold/Regeringskansliet

EU Commission presents action on avoidable health gaps

Equity Channel — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:18:00 +0200

A series of actions to reduce health inequalities has been announced by the European Commission.

The plans, announced as a formal communication, include measures to monitor the impact of policies at all levels on the differences in people’s health across the EU.

“[I]mproving the exchange of information and knowledge and improving the coordination of policies between different levels of government and across a number of sectors…can create more effective action and achieve a larger and consistent impact,” the document says.

The Commission also stressed the need to work with organizations and groups from other sectors as well as those directly involved in health matters.

“There is also a need to create more effective partnerships with stakeholders that can help to promote action on various social determinants and thus improve health outcomes,” the Commission says.

The Equity Channel is already leading the way on this, as an online centre, supported by an international collaboration, for people and groups who are interested in improving health equity.

Among our partners, EuroHealthNet is working on developing the capacity of member states to act on health inequalities through the Determine initiative, while the Gradient project is researching the impact of public health policies on families and children.

Additionally, University College London is carrying out a review of health inequalities in England post 2010, and Business in the Community is addressing the role of the private sector in addressing health inequalities.

If you would like get involved, please go to this section of our website.

Recommended areas for action by the European Commission include promoting EU-level uptake and dissemination of good practice and providing funding for professional training to address health inequalities.

The actions, which are not legally binding, were jointly announced by EU Commissioner for health, Androulla Vassiliou, and Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities.

“Promoting the reduction of health inequalities has not been mainstreamed in an explicit manner in EU policies…and many of them do not take the dimension of health inequalities into account,” said Vassiliou.

Špidla echoed the need for work across a wide range of sectors in order to tackle health inequalities.

“It is quite clear that this is a very complex situation and a tremendous number of factors need to be improved,” he said.

“Solidarity in health is a goal to which the EU must work,” he added.

The full text of the European Commission communication on action to reduce health inequalities, plus additional background material, can be downloaded here.

EU wants to step up plans for fair health worldwide

Equity Channel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:33:00 +0200

The European commission is looking for opinions about how its policies can help to improve health in developing countries in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In particular, the EU is looking for views about how it can reduce the unfair differences in the health of people in developing countries, to encourage better social cohesion and more political stability.

The European commission is also interested in consulting among a wide range of organisations about how best to meet the challenges of ensuring equitable access to modern knowledge and tools and to help countries identify, monitor and report health challenges.

Additionally, the public consultation asks for views on health problems that have been neglected by the EU and international health research agenda.

The consultation is in the form of a questionnaire and background paper outlining the main issues.

“[T]here is not yet a comprehensive EU strategy aiming at strengthening the overall capacity of health systems in developing countries to deliver accessible health care...to wide strata of the population,” according to the background paper.

“EU Member States are gradually recognising the need for a strategic course, policy coherence and common values on global health,” the document adds.

Opinions are also sought on prioritising global public goods for health and the potential for using the EU social model as a framework for establishing global health equity.

Please note that the deadline for submitting a response to this consultation is 09 December.

You can access the consultation documents on the website of the European Commission Directorate-General for Development at

http://ec.europa.eu/development/how/consultation/index.cfm?action=viewcons&id=4765

We are very interested in hearing your views so please get in touch with any responses you have about these important issues.

[Photo: © European Communities, 1995-2009]

Looking ahead to the Treaty of Lisbon

Equity Channel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:17:00 +0200

Full ratification of the EU Treaty of Lisbon is expected soon, but how will this affect health law?

This is the topic of a briefing paper by the European Health Management Association (EHMA), which looks at what the treaty could mean for European public health policies in the future.

Although the general idea of where the EU can take action in the field of health remains the same, there are several potential changes to the way this is carried out, says EHMA.

The Treaty of Lisbon includes the possibility for extra steps by the EU to protect human health, to support the fight against cross-border health scourges and for an emphasis on the right to health, the document says.

EHMA also outlines possible new measures on consulting civil society and dialogue with representative associations, should the treaty be ratified.

The full EHMA briefing paper is available on the EHMA website here.

EHMA is a partner in the Equity Channel.

Businesses urged to do their bit for health

Equity Channel — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:13:00 +0200

Business experts have highlighted how the private sector can influence people’s health.

Responsible business practices, for example, are shown to have a significant positive impact on health and well-being.

These issues are outlined in a briefing paper produced by Business in the Community, a membership organisation working with companies to improve their positive impact on society.

The document says that “It has never been more important for businesses to act responsibly.”

Acting to safeguard safe and decent working conditions is one of the examples given to show how the private sector can contribute towards achieving greater health equity.

Businesses are also involved in the provision of essential products and services which affect health such as food, water and electricity.

Additionally, a healthy population is seen as essential for a successful private sector.

“Poor and ill health can have a direct impact on the private sector through employee absence, lost efficiency and productivity,” says Business in the Community.

More substantial efforts are however needed if corporate social responsibility is to have a genuine impact in addressing these problems, according to a WHO report on health inequalities.

“To date...corporate social responsibility is often little more than cosmetic,” the WHO report says.

Business in the Community have a number of campaigns to help companies get involved in actions such as promoting healthy eating, developing education and skills and investing in local communities.

For more information about how businesses can work to promote health equity, please visit the Business in the Community website.

Business in the Community is a partner in the Equity Channel.

The WHO report can be downloaded from http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/

EU urged to secure healthy future for the planet

Equity Channel — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:33:00 +0200

A new campaign has been launched warning of the health impacts of climate change.

The main aim of the Prescription for a Healthy Planet campaign is to secure policy responses to climate change which protect the health of communities.

This will help reduce the burden for the health sector, which will have to deal with many of the consequences associated with climate change.

The campaign is being led by Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), and was launched by European commissioner for health, Androulla Vassiliou.

“Climate change is a major issue for all EU policy areas, and it is clear that its impact on human, animal and plant health will be of massive importance to citizens in years to come,” said Vassiliou.

It is hoped that Vassiliou will urge the EU delegates to raise this issue at the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

The drive to consider health a key part of climate change talks was supported by German Socialist deputy Jo Leinen, chair of the European parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee.

“I hope that in Copenhagen, health issues will be in the debate,” he said.

A report from the WHO has however warned of the need to also ensure that the health impacts of climate change do not unjustly affect different groups of people.

“It is critical to ensure that economic and social policy responses to climate change and other environmental degradation take into account health equity,” the report says.

“[T]he investment that takes place in the next 10-20 years will have a profound and long-lasting effect not only on the climate but on the health of our children and our children’s children,” the report adds.

More information about the Prescription for a Healthy Planet campaign can be found in this press release.

The WHO report on health inequalities can be accessed here.

[Photo: HEAL/Lisa Develtere]

Why we need to be clear about inequalities

Equity Channel — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:49:00 +0200

Clearer information about poverty is essential to public support for stronger welfare policies, a survey has found.

A report on public attitudes to economic inequality in the UK has shown that raising awareness of the reality of a low socio-economic status could be a key task for policy makers.

“[P]roviding more information about the barriers to opportunity faced by many people could make an important contribution towards building public support for tackling economic inequality,” the report says.

“[R]esearch [has] found that people were engaged by just such evidence and survey results indicated that exposure to it could increase support for some important policy interventions,” the report adds.

According to the results of the survey, carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, many people are misinformed about the extent of benefit fraud, how the tax system works and the reality of income across the social gradient.

This lack of proper information can lead to confused or negative attitudes, for example about the reciprocal contributions of benefit claimants and the reasons why people are on low incomes.

Along with better information, the report adds that placing an emphasis on the broader consequences of income inequality for society as whole could be an important part of policy work.

“[P]eople were engaged by research about the possible social effects of income inequality on society and found the hypothesis that income inequality might generate social problems intuitively plausible,” the report says.

Support for work across society was evident in people’s positive responses towards improving early child development.

“In the case of ‘early years’ disadvantages, participants were engaged by the evidence of early health inequalities ,” the report says.

“In the case of the school attainment gap, participants were surprised by the size of the gap between those in different socio-economic groups,” the report adds.

For more information about how public health policies affect the health inequalities among families and children, please visit the Gradient project.

An executive summary plus the full text of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report is available at http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/attitudes-economic-inequality

Are we learning the right lessons?

Equity Channel — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:50:00 +0200

The new EU healthy eating campaign for children is welcome, but we need to address the bigger picture.

Mariann Fischer Boel, European commissioner for agriculture, has launched a new healthy eating campaign for children under the slogan “Eat it, Drink it, Move it.”

"When we look around and see the number of overweight children, it is clear that we must act now," said Fischer Boel in a press release to mark the occasion.

The campaign has been set up to support the provision of milk, fruit and vegetables in schools and encourage children to eat healthily from an early age.

It is however also important to address the social and economic conditions which contribute to children becoming overweight.

Factors such as children’s education can have a lasting impact upon long-term health, according to a report from the WHO on health inequalities.

“There is emerging evidence that integrating social and emotional learning in curricula in primary and secondary schools as well as attention to the children’s physical and cognitive/language development...potentially would have consequent long-term gains for health,” the report says.

Education as a determinant of health is among the topics addressed by the Gradient project, which looks at how public health policies affect the health inequalities among families and children.

Tackling obesity, the WHO report says, means addressing the wide range of social issues which cause it.

“The global obesity epidemic is a good example of a socially patterned health outcome that is a consequence of changes in a constellation of social factors,” the report says.

You can find out more about the EU healthy eating campaign at http://ec.europa.eu/tasty-bunch

The WHO report on health inequalities can be downloaded from here.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in a nutshell

Equity Channel — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:18:00 +0200

This is a special guest post for The Equity Channel by Ben Harris-Roxas of the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) can be an important way of determining the potential health consequences of policies.

Through evidence-based recommendations, HIA can help decision-makers to become better informed about the possible consequences of public policy on health inequities, both positive and negative, intended and unintended.

HIA is undertaken prior to the implementation of a proposed policy, program or project as a means of considering the potential health impacts involved.

HIA also seeks to develop evidence-based recommendations to maximise positive health impacts and minimise negative health impacts of policies.

With the increasing attention that has been paid to the social determinants of health since the early 1990s, the focus of HIA has expanded to include more detailed assessment of the relationship between social and environmental factors and their potential health impacts.

HIA has been on the policy agenda in Europe and elsewhere for the past 15 years, though its roots go back even further. The extent to which HIA is used across Europe is quite variable, though there is activity in most EU member states. One example is the UK-based HIA Gateway, an online resource offering guidance and information about how to carry out, commission or evaluate a health impact assessment.

Outside Europe its use is growing rapidly, promoted by the World Health Organization and the International Finance Corporation, amongst others.

HIA has also been considered as a means of addressing health inequities, and in 2004 a framework for Equity Focused Health Impact Assessment (EFHIA) was developed in Australia, providing detailed guidance on how to ensure health equity is addressed at each step of the assessment process.

The importance of HIA continues to grow, and there are now more than 1,000 examples of its use across the globe.

For more information on HIA including HIA guides, completed HIA reports and teaching resources, please visit the HIA Connect website at http://www.hiaconnect.edu.au.

Ben Harris-Roxas

The road to fairer health

Equity Channel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:13:00 +0200

The 8th European Mobility Week is due to take place from 16 to 22 September.

The event aims to promote sustainable transport and comes a time when environmental considerations are more important than ever.

The theme of this year’s event is “Improving city climates”, with a focus on getting around without the car, by walking, cycling or using public transport.

"The European Mobility Week is a clear example of how initiatives at the European level can encourage and facilitate local action. A new Action Plan on urban mobility that I intend to propose shortly follows exactly this line of thinking,” said European commissioner for transport Antonio Tajani.

As well as helping local projects, there are other expectations for the action plan on urban mobility, which has been delayed since last year.

Angered by the delay, the European parliament published its own proposals for the action plan, which include a permanent European forum on urban transport governance and better information on air pollution and noise, accidents, traffic jams and congestion.

A WHO report on the social determinants of health also underlined the urgency of tackling urban pollution levels.

“Urban areas are by far the most affected by…vehicle-related air pollution, with approximately 800, 000 annual deaths from ambient urban air pollution,” the report says.

“Within cities, new models of governance are required to plan cities that are designed in such a way that the physical, social, and natural environments prevent and ameliorate the new urban health risks,” the report adds.

More information about European Mobility Week can be found at the official website for the event.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health can be downloaded from here.

European public health research fragmented, survey finds

Equity Channel — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:29:00 +0200

There is a lack of coherence throughout public health research in Europe, it has emerged.

According to a recent survey of health and science ministries in 25 EU countries and 3 EEA countries, there are significant variations in the way public health priorities are drawn up.

“There is no common approach to support for public-health research across Europe, and significant gaps in organisation and funding,” the report says.

A total of twelve ministries were only able to identify as research priorities, “thematic areas with no additional information.”

In addition, six of the ministries surveyed had “no specific process” with which to identify research priorities.

The availability and management of funding for public health research was also unclear, with only two countries able to state the allocation to public-health research within their ministry's annual budget.

“...finance for public-health research was generally not explicitly linked to national health-plans, and thus to priorities/needs in action,” the report says.

The survey was carried out as part of the EU-funded SPHERE (Strengthening Public Health Research in Europe) project.

Common priorities for research and effective, targeted funding is however necessary to tackle the wider social and economic determinants which lead to health inequalities.

A WHO report on health inequalities said that part of the solution must involve common research objectives among national funding bodies.

“There is a need for international collaboration to ensure knowledge accumulation and to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort,” the WHO report says.

Furthermore, the WHO stresses that the scope of research must be broader than it has been.

“Creating the organizational space and capacity to act effectively on health inequity... requires a stronger focus on social determinants in public health research,” the report adds.

You can find the SPHERE survey at this website.

The WHO report on health inequalities can be downloaded from here.

Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Helping everyone to have a holiday

Equity Channel — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:41:00 +0200

A proper holiday can bring many benefits to low-income and socially excluded people, recent research has shown.

A study carried out by academics in the UK has shown how holidays can produce better mental health and general well-being among disadvantaged groups.

“This study...has shown that for a modest investment in terms of time and money, holidays can facilitate significant increases in social and family capital for the participants,” the report says.

Part of this increase in social and family capital includes better family relations, an increase in confidence, expansion of the social network and a changed perspective on life.

Additional benefits reported by the study include stronger relationships between parents and children after the holiday.

Children were reported as doing better at school and parents were seen to be more willing to spend more quality time with their children.

The study was published in the journal Annals of Tourism Research and carried out by Dr Lynn Minnaert and Prof Robert Maitland, of the University of Westminster and Dr Graham Miller of the University of Surrey.

These finding will benefit projects such as Belgium's Holiday Participation Centre, run by Tourism Flanders & Brussels, which helps provide holidays for disadvantaged people and families living in poverty.

The Holiday Participation Centre consists of 950 member organisations, including social services, volunteer groups and family guidance services.

The centre also organises training, consultation and evaluation to help improve social tourism, and recently carried its own survey, together with Dr Minnaert, into the effects of a holiday for people living in poverty.

"More than half of those surveyed...felt mentally stronger after the holiday. For this group, the holiday appears to be able to have a motivating effect on various aspects of daily life after returning,” the report says.

“On this basis, social tourism can be seen as a cost-effective form of intervention.”

“Holidays are necessary because they increase self-respect and create confidence, improve communication and consolidate family ties,” the report concludes.

The UK report, “Tourism and social policy: the value of social tourism”, can be downloaded here.

More information about the Holiday Participation Centre, including the survey, can be found in this brochure.

Social factors key to ethnic health differences in England

Equity Channel — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:59:00 +0200

New research has emerged which strengthens the case for addressing the socio-economic factors which influence people’s health.

A study of the healthcare received among different ethnic groups in England, has shown that there is very little difference in the level of primary NHS care available to ethnic minorities compared to white people.

The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, focused on the healthcare for people with diabetes, raised cholesterol or high blood pressure.

The equal access to healthcare for these conditions suggests that other factors, such as social and economic factors, must therefore account for the health inequalities which exist between ethnic minorities and whites in England.

“While inequalities in the care received may exist for some conditions and other health care settings, particularly internationally, the implication of our research is that ethnic inequalities in healthcare are minimal within NHS primary care,” said Professor James Nazroo from the University of Manchester, who led the research.

Even where there are differences in access to healthcare, these are also likely to be due to social determinants, according to a major WHO study on health equity.

“Inequities in health care are related to a host of socioeconomic and cultural factors, including income, ethnicity, gender, and rural/urban residency,” the report says.

“The argument for a coherent approach to health equity through action on the social determinants in all socioeconomic and socio-cultural contexts is unequivocal,” the report adds.

More information about the study led by Professor Nazroo can be found on this page of the website of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The WHO report on health equity can be found here.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Responses to EU consultation on health inequalities

Equity Channel — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:59:00 +0200

The European Commission has published a summary of the responses to its consultation on health inequalities.

Responding to a consultation on possible future EU action in this area, a wide range of organisations emphasise the need to act on “the close connection between socio-economic status and health status”.

"The majority [of respondents] appeared to take a...view summarised by one health ministry which concluded: "We already know enough to take action"”, according to the summary document.

The European Commission is due to publish a communication on health inequalities in the autumn.

Work on early child development was raised as a priority by many of the organisations consulted.

“Policy therefore has to focus on children and young people, who cannot determine their living environment, nutrition and housing themselves and are susceptible to outside influences,” the report says.

A policy focus on children is supported by a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

“Investment in the early years provides one of the greatest potentials to reduce health inequities within a generation,” the WHO report says.

EU action on families and children is already being carried out, such as the GRADIENT project being carried out by EuroHealthNet.

Many organisations felt that work to tackle health inequalities at the EU level would be most effectively carried out across a range of sectors, including improving working conditions, housing, education, environment and employment.

Work to provide better indicators, comparable data and easier ways to exchange best practices were raised as necessary areas where EU action could have added value.

EU-level health impact assessments were also seen by some as potentially important activities, as were the setting of targets and milestones to measure progress.

You can read the summary of the responses to the consultation here, on the website of the European Commission’s directorate-general for health.

An energy-efficient EU brings health advantages

Equity Channel — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:32:00 +0200

Political and financial investment in energy efficient will bring greater benefits than simply saving money.

The wider benefits of energy efficiency, particularly to health, should be taken into consideration by Sweden as it begins its leadership of the EU.

Part of the work programme of the presidency will involve EU energy ministers discussing the content of the EU’s upcoming second Energy Efficiency Action Plan, part of which includes a target to improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2020.

Also on the agenda for energy ministers is the revised EU directive on the energy performance of buildings, including amendments submitted by MEPs earlier this year.

If the EU can come up with policies to produce real energy savings, at the local level as well as internationally, this will have a lasting effect on the health of the population.

“Domestic energy inefficiencies and related fuel poverty have a number of effects on health and are very socially patterned,” according to a WHO report on health inequalities.

Referring to a study trial of residents upgraded to more energy-efficient council housing, the WHO report notes that factors such as better insulation and ventilation can result in personal and health benefits.

“Greater use of the whole house, improved relationships within families, and a greater sense of self-esteem were all mentioned as benefits,” the report says.

“Non-asthma related chest problems and the combined asthma symptom score for adults [also] diminished significantly,” the report adds.

More about the energy work programme of the Swedish Presidency can be found at this site.

The WHO report on health inequalities can be downloaded from here.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

EU must focus on working conditions as well as growth and jobs

Equity Channel — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:27:00 +0200

The EU is keen to boost its employment figures during the economic crisis, but what about working conditions?

One main theme that appears to be lacking from this week’s discussions about the EU labour market is how we can make sure that employment is fair, working conditions are good and that work does not have a negative effect on health.

Improving working conditions was one of the main themes of a recent report from the WHO on the social determinants of health.

“Employment and working conditions have powerful effects on health equity. When these are good, they can provide financial security, social status, personal development, social relations and self-esteem, and protection from physical and psychosocial hazards,” the report says.

Making sure people have jobs was the main theme of this week’s meeting for the Informal Council of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers (EPSCO), held in Jönköping, Sweden and one of the first events organised by the new Swedish presidency.

“Europe cannot afford to allow 100 million people to remain outside the labour market. Each individual is needed on the European labour market”, said Swedish Minister for Employment Sven Otto Littorin.

These objectives will be discussed during a series of workshops on how member states can get more people back into work by increasing access to employment, adopting efficient labour market reforms and through an active social security policy.

Meanwhile, the EU’s current plans for maintaining employment and creating new jobs are the subject of the latest issue of Exchange, the quarterly information bulletin on social protection and social inclusion in the EU.

“Europe must now show equal determination in committing to preserve employment and help those in difficulty,” according to the editorial of the magazine.

Part of these plans will include the establishment of a European Microfinance Facility for Employment and Social Inclusion, aimed at increasing access to micro-credits for people who have lost or are at risk of losing their job and want to start their own micro-enterprise, including self-employment.

The scheme is also intended to benefit young people who want to start or continue their own micro-enterprise, and will consist of a €100 million fund due to last until the end of 2013.

Preserving employment is important, but the conditions of employment must also be taken into account.

“Through the assurance of fair employment and decent working conditions, government, employers, and workers can help eradicate poverty, alleviate social inequities, reduce exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards, and enhance opportunities for health and well-being. And, of course, a healthy workforce is good for productivity,” the WHO report says.

More information about the Swedish Presidency’s work programme for employment and social affairs can be found here on the Presidency website.

The latest issue of Exchange can be downloaded at the website of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

Please click here to read the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a European Microfinance Facility for Employment and Social Inclusion.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health is available here.

Image: Gunnar Seijbold/Regeringskansliet

EU pushes for compliance with air quality standards

Equity Channel — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:21:00 +0200

The EU has strongly criticised member states for taking too long to comply with its air quality standards.

From a total of 94 air quality zones assessed, only 19 zones, in Austria, Germany and Hungary, have been granted extra time to try to meet EU standards.

The remaining requests were rejected due to lack of sufficient data or lack of evidence of suitable measures which will guarantee that air quality standards will be met within the extra time allowed.

EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said that member states had to show more commitment towards better air quality.

“The Commission therefore expects member states to clearly demonstrate that they are doing their upmost, in the interests of their citizens, to comply with the EU standards in the shortest possible time,” he said in a press release.

In 2005 the EU established standards for airborne particles (PM 10) in pollution coming from industry, traffic and domestic heating, with certain binding limit values for the maximum permitted concentrations of certain pollutants in the air.

These quality standards were set up as a means of reducing the levels of asthma, cardiovascular problems, lung cancer and premature death which occur as a result of these air pollutants

Those member states granted time extensions may postpone compliance with these limits until 10 June 2011, while the commission has nine months to raise the objections against the remaining requests.

The need to ensure clean, safe air quality was underlined by a recent WHO report on the social causes of ill health, in particular pollution coming from traffic.

“Pollution from transport contributes to total air pollution, which is estimated to be responsible for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide,” the report says.

“In order to address what is becoming a public health disaster, it is important that national and local government, with private sector collaboration, control air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles,” the report adds.

You can view the list of zones exceeding the EU air quality standards as part of the website of the European commission directorate-general for the environment.

To read the WHO report on the social determinants of health, please click here.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

World Bank encourages equal access to health services

Equity Channel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:39:00 +0200

A new study has shown that there is a “ray of hope” for reducing inequality in the use of health services.

Despite the limited effectiveness of previous policy initiatives, the new survey of 14 successful health sector programs points towards several recurring themes which seem to lead to positive results.

“Success can be achieved through programs developed with an empirical and exploratory spirit, crafted with input from the poor, responsive to specific local realities, and continually evaluated and adjusted to better achieve their goals,” the report says.

Stressing that there is no universal policy formula for addressing inequalities, the report adds that the policies chosen were varied and localised whilst at the same time sharing similar features when it came to the strategy and attitude adopted.

“Unique solutions were obtained variously from government intervention, public-private partnerships, improving the supply of services, community involvement, or changes in resource allocations,” the report adds.

Local, customised solutions were important characteristics identified by the report, as were the courage to find new ways of operating, patience and a long-term perspective.

“Successful programs take into account the specific local causes of inequality, the existing capacities of the health sector, and the cultural context influencing the poor and the health system,” the report says.

The study of 14 health sector policies was written by Abdo S. Yazbeck of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (The World Bank).

To downloaded the report in full, please follow this link.

Interview with Kate Pickett

Equity Channel — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:20:00 +0200

Kate Pickett is a Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology at the University of York and co-author with Richard Wilkinson of The Spirit Level, a book which uses evidence to demonstrate how inequality is causing many of the problems affecting our societies today. She tells the Equity Channel how inequality affects us all and why it’s time to think outside the box.

Why should we take a fresh look at the inequalities which exist in society?

The links between inequality and health, and problems such as violence have been known and debated for quite some time, but this knowledge has tended to be restricted to particular academic fields. What we are doing is taking a much broader look, helped by access to internationally comparable data, at a much wider range of health and social problems. In The Spirit Level we look at mental health, drug use, social mobility and education levels, teenage births and other issues. The fact that income inequality has not been thought of as such a deep-root cause of such a broad range of problems is simply because nobody’s looked at such a range before.

In The Spirit Level you emphasis looking across society as whole. Why is this?

Clearly all of the health and social problems are worse in the most deprived areas, and they are more prevalent among the poor and the most disadvantaged in all societies, but the level of differences can’t be explained just by the proportion of poor people. For example, in the US about 12% of the population are defined as below the federal poverty line, but 1 in 4 have had a mental illness in the past year. We have also known for a long time that it matters to your health to be just a little bit below the top [levels of income], it doesn’t only matter at some sort of threshold of poverty at the bottom.

Using data from several sources, we can show that if you live in a more unequal country, your health and well-being is worse than if you were living at the same level of income or education or social class in a more equal country. The effects of inequality seem to run all the way across society.

Is inequality something that the general public are concerned about?

Most people sense that inequality isn’t a good thing for society. We’re currently at a point where we can actually have a public debate about income inequality that we’ve not been able to have for quite a long time. I think some of the facts to do with the economic crisis and the scandal over the bankers’ bonuses have opened up a chink in the debate about salaries. The same is true when it comes to green issues and issues about climate change in needing to constrain growth in some aspects, leading to some sort of a shared sense that we’re all in this together.

Now is a good time to talk about equality, and in fact surveys have shown that the public appetite for this is there and has been there for quite some time. It’s now a chance for politicians to capitalise on what is going on in the economy at the moment and in public opinion, and to come up with something concrete.

Do we need major policy changes to address these issues?

Almost everything that governments do can either exacerbate inequalities or reduce them a bit. Even small changes in tax changes in taxation and redistribution can make a difference. Any government can put in place a particular policy, but when you are dealing with these policy changes they can quite easily be changed or tweaked or overturned by successive governments. It’s more important for a society to have a shared political vision about where they want their society to go; whether people want to see growth at all costs or whether they want to see a transformation to a better quality of life for everybody.

If that will is there in the populous, it’s not a party political issue. Successive governments might disagree about how to achieve a particular level of equality but it could be a shared goal for everybody.

How can governments take effective action to meet this goal?

If we look at all the different health and social problems that we are examining in The Spirit Level, what we tend to do as societies to address them is to put a lot of money into either prevention of that particular problem, or treatment of that particular problem, rather than cross-sector primary prevention and thinking about the causes.

I was very impressed by a story I heard from a woman who works for the police force in Glasgow, dealing with youth justice, who said that when her department were asked to set some budget priorities, they responded by saying that the city should have more health visitors, rather to the shock of their police colleagues, who themselves wanted more police. I thought this was a rather unique example of people thinking outside of their own box, focusing away from needing as big a piece of the pie for our own sector, our own concerns, and recognising that we have to be willing not only to be collaborative with our time and with our information, but also from a budget point of view.

Are there any particular key areas where government investment would be well spent?

Early childhood, for example, would be an area where increased investment would have payoffs across a whole range of health and social problems later on. The Nurse-Family Partnership in the US, for example, has produced not just early benefits in terms of birth weight or mothers being less likely to smoke; as the years go on, it’s been shown to delay women having a subsequent pregnancy, they’re more likely to get back into the workforce or finish education, their children do better at school. It’s a cost-effective measure and the benefits seem to accumulate as time goes on.

How would you describe the characteristics of an equal society?

It’s the equality itself which is the characteristic of society that matters. If you try to look at other characteristics to try to explain the relationships we’ve outlined in The Spirit Level, it’s very difficult. You can’t just point to the Scandinavian countries and say that there’s something peculiar about their culture, because Japan is also equal and very different. Spain and Portugal are culturally similar and at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of inequalities and the level of health and social problems. It is the inequalities that are linked to these health and social problems, not the only factor of course, but certainly a major one.

The Spirit Level can be purchased from penguin Books here.

If you would like to get involved in a movement to take action on inequalities, please visit the Equality Trust website.

Have your say about health inequalities

Equity Channel — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:12:00 +0200

The Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England Post 2010 (Marmot Review) is looking for opinions and evidence to help improve its nationwide survey of health inequalities.

During the consultation period, the review team are hoping to consult a wide range of individuals, groups and organisations about the first phase of the review, and the work done so far by the different task groups.

The review team are also keen to learn about any examples of good practice and evidence of positive impacts in reducing health inequalities.

Feedback on the key themes looked at, the existing evidence gathered on health inequalities and the proposed interventions to tackle these issues will feed into the second phase of the review, due to report in September 2009.

The consultation period began on 22nd June 2009 and closes on 5th August 2009. Responses should be emailed by 5 August 2009 to Ilaria Geddes.

Please visit the website of the Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England Post 2010 for further information, including the consultation document and the first phase report.

We would be interested in hearing your responses to this consultation. You can send us a copy via our contact page.

Sweden to push for stronger social services in EU

Equity Channel — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:41:00 +0200

Social protection is set to be a major theme of the upcoming Swedish Presidency of the EU.

Over the next six months, Sweden hopes to focus on making the best use of employment and welfare services to counter the negative consequences of the economic recession.

“There are social problems in Europe. There is an increasing need for social services. This is of course a result of the current situation and we are now beginning to see the social consequences of the economic crisis,” Swedish Public Health Minister Maria Larsson said at the 17th European Social Services conference in Prague.

The need for social security was also underlined by Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt at a recent speech in Brussels.

“For most people the crisis is not a question of financial stability or sustainable growth. Instead the sky is painted black by a rise in unemployment and social exclusion, he said.

“To put it bluntly: people are losing their jobs,” he added.

Swedish Presidency activities will include discussions about more effective social services and hosting the 8th European Round Table on Poverty and Social Exclusion, to be held in October this year in Stockholm.

“We will discuss different aspects on how to integrate services from social security agencies,” Larsson said.

“Hopefully the outcomes of this conference will provide an important input to the European Year of combating poverty and social exclusion 2010 and to the Post Lisbon Strategy,” she added.

A report by the WHO on the social causes of ill health stressed that social services are a vital part of good health for everyone.

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including...necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control,” the report says.

“Extending social protection to all people, within countries and globally, will be a major step towards securing health equity within a generation.”

Please follow this link for the official website of the Swedish Presidency of the EU.

You can read the WHO report on the social determinants of health here.

OECD challenges lack of government action on obesity

Equity Channel — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:44:00 +0200

Governments must face up to their responsibilities in tackling obesity, the OECD has said.

The political and economic circumstances which give rise to an overweight population have so far been given “limited attention” by policy makers, according to a new OECD report on the obesity epidemic.

“There appears to be a limited awareness of, or willingness to intervene on, features of the political and economic environments which have contributed to the growth in overweight and obesity,” the report says.

Little attention has been devoted towards potential solutions such as greater availability of different types of food or changing the physical environment to encourage more physical activity.

Furthermore, the OECD adds that governments seem unable to explain why such measures are not being seriously considered.

“Any reasons for and against intervention should be made explicit and open to challenge,” the report adds.

The report also draws attention to the inequalities which exist in the way obesity affects different socioeconomic groups.

Such inequalities, it says, are more pronounced among women in particular, with more educated and higher socio-economic status women displaying substantially lower rates of obesity.

“Acting on the mechanisms that make women in poor socio-economic circumstances so vulnerable to obesity, and women at the other end of the socio-economic spectrum much more able to handle [these mechanisms], is of great importance not just as a way of redressing existing inequalities, but also because of its potential effect on overall social welfare,” the report says.

The findings in the OECD report are supported by a WHO report on the social determinants of health, which says that dealing with the obesity epidemic goes beyond changing individual behaviour.

“Obesity is not caused by moral failure on the part of individuals but by the excess availability of high-fat and high-sugar foods,” the WHO report says.

The same report calls on governments to take action in order to limit this availability and to control the additional political and economic factors which lead to an overweight population.

“Addressing the escalating problem of obesity in rich and poor countries alike cannot be left to market forces, but requires national and local government intersectoral approaches involving agriculture, urban planning, health, and sustainable development sectors,” the report adds.

The OECD report on the obesity epidemic can be found here.

Please go here for the WHO report on the social determinants of health.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

OECD calls for stronger evidence on health inequalities

Equity Channel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:38:00 +0200

Evidence must play a bigger role in directing work on health inequalities in OECD countries, according a new report.

Action to address the inequality in health status and in health care access can only be measured effectively if appropriate health indicators are available.

“These policy objectives require an evidence-based approach to measure progress,” the report says.

“The effort made to improve data availability and comparability will determine whether health inequalities can be regularly monitored across most or all OECD Countries,” the report adds.

Suggested evidence which could be used to demonstrate health inequalities includes self-rated health, self-rated disability, the extent of public health care coverage and private health insurance coverage, and self-reported unmet medical and dental care needs.

The findings are supported by a WHO report on the social determinants of health, which says that the most effective policies to tackle health inequalities are those based on strong evidence.

“Evidence-based policy-making on the social determinants of health offers the best hope of tackling health inequities,” the WHO report says.

“This requires good data on the extent of the problem, and up-to-date evidence on the determinants and on what works to reduce health inequities. It also requires an understanding of the evidence, among policy-makers and practitioners, such that social determinants of health are acted on,” the WHO report adds.

Survey-based measures of health status are currently the most widely-used method of collecting information about the inequalities which exist, according to the OECD document.

“Health-related surveys remain a unique source of data in most countries to measure socioeconomic inequalities in health status and health care access and use,” the report says.

However when it comes to monitoring these health inequalities and comparing the data across countries, the report stresses that there must be common agreement among countries as to the definitions and measurement instruments used in the process.

“The comparability of data across countries depends on the harmonisation of questions and other aspects of survey methodologies,” the report says.

The report is part of the OECD Health Working Papers and can be downloaded here.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health can be found at the website of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

Creating better corporate responsibility

Equity Channel — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:20:00 +0200

Companies are still failing to integrate corporate responsibility into their business strategies, a senior chief executive has said.

Despite discussions about corporate responsibility among company board members, there still seems to be a lack of action beyond the boardroom, according to Stephen Howard, Chief Executive of Business in the Community (pictured).

“I believe the underlying reason for this is that although corporate responsibility is discussed at the boardroom it is still disconnected from discussions about business strategy and business operational issues,” he said in a press release on the Business in the Community website.

Nine out of ten UK businesses have substantive discussions about corporate responsibility at board level, according to a voluntary index of corporate responsibility published today by Business in the Community.

The economic downturn, says Howard, can offer business the opportunity to take a fresh look at how they can better combine profits with employee and environmental protection.

“There is a great opportunity for business to emerge from the recession with a more balanced position between being wealth creators and having a responsibility to steward our social, environmental and economic wellbeing,” he said.

The findings did however show some improvements, as seven UK companies achieved the index’s new “Platinum Plus” level, an indication of those companies whose “significant efforts to manage their business impacts [have] surpassed the benchmarking criteria in other levels, and whose outlook in this area showed real long-term commitment.”

The “Platinum Plus” level was achieved by BT, EDF Energy, National Grid, Northumbrian Water, Scottish and Southern Energy, The Co-operative Financial Services and United Utilities.

There is however a limit to the effectiveness of voluntary measures to implement corporate responsibility in the private sector, according to a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

“To date...corporate social responsibility is little more than cosmetic. One of its principle shortcomings is that, being voluntary, it lacks enforcement...voluntary initiatives will inevitable be limited in their impact,” the report says.

“Corporate accountability may be a more meaningful approach,” the report adds.

You can find the full corporate responsibility index of the Business in the Community website here.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health can be found at the website of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

Health determinants top of agenda for Swedish EU presidency

Equity Channel — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:15:00 +0200

The social causes of ill health are top of the agenda for the Swedish presidency as the country prepares for its role at the helm of the EU.

The need to address the problem of alcohol-related harms and excess consumption will be discussed during one of the first high-level ministerial meetings of the presidency.

According to the recently launched presidency website, the main objective for the next six months will be to “support the implementation of the horizontal EU alcohol strategy from 2006 to reduce alcohol-related harm in the European Union in the long-term.”

“Particular focus will be given to commercial communication and how alcohol advertisements affect alcohol consumption patterns among young people,” the website adds.

The event is being chaired by Göran Hägglund (pictured), Swedish Minister for Health and Social Affairs.

The informal meeting of health ministers may help to achieve greater coherence at the European level when it comes to tackling the problem of alcohol consumption, a stumbling block identified in a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

The report says that European policy discussion on alcohol “has been characterized by a conflict of view”, in particular over whether to treat alcohol as a regular commodity or a public health concern whose trade could be regulated.

One recommendation from the WHO is to increase the price of alcohol, a measure which has shown to be effective in reducing the problems that arise from excessive consumption.

“There is substantial evidence that an increase in alcohol prices reduces consumption and the level of alcohol-related problems,” according to the WHO document.

“The effects on alcohol-related harms are definite and the costs low, making it a cost-effective measure,” the report adds.

It is important however for policy-makers to ensure that any actions decided upon at the international level are “complemented by actions at the local policy level and behaviour–change interventions.”

The website of the Swedish presidency can be found at www.eu2009.se

The WHO report on the social determinants of health can be found at the website of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

[Photo of Swedish Health Minister Göran Hägglund by Pawel Flato]

Recession-hit labour market to benefit from EU funds

Equity Channel — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:32:00 +0200

A €19bn funding package, aimed at boosting employment and training during the economic crisis, has been made available by the EU.

New businesses and micro-enterprises, who might otherwise struggle to establish themselves given the current global financial situation, are also expected to benefit from the initiative, part of the European Social Fund.

“Today the Commission is taking a further step towards shared commitment and coordinated action by the EU, Member States and social partners to save and create jobs," said European Commission president José Manuel Barroso.

"For example, we are accelerating billions of euros in EU support for retraining under the European Social Fund, which already helps more than 9 million people a year find jobs. Together with international financial institutions and in particular the European Investment Bank Group, we will create a new €500 million micro-credit facility to support entrepreneurs. And at national level we want to see 5 million young Europeans have access to apprenticeships,” he added.

The main priorities of the “EU Shared Commitment for Employment” are job creation and worker mobility, ensuring that skills match the needs of the labour market, and increasing access to employment for all.

While much was made of the economic support that these new proposals will provide, there was however no mention of measures to ensure that these plans will have a positive impact on health, for example through the regulation of fair and decent working conditions.

The impact upon health of working conditions must be a feature of employment policies at the national and international level, according to a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

“To date, relatively few countries have integrated employment and working conditions into economic and social policies,” the report says.

“Full and fair employment and decent work [should] be made a shared objective of international institutions,” the report adds.

The proposals for the “EU Shared Commitment for Employment” will now be presented to heads of state and government at the European Council meeting on 18-19 June.

The full text of the European Commission communication on the “EU Shared Commitment for Employment” can be found on the EU Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities website.

Calls for action on health inequalities grow louder

Equity Channel — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:36:00 +0200

An important resolution has been adopted at the sixty-second WHO World Health Assembly, relating to action on the social determinants of health.

The resolution urges WHO member states to show political commitment, "as a national concern", towards the main principles as set out in the WHO report on the social determinants of health.

The WHO also pushes for greater dialogue among the different sectors of government, with a view to "integrating a consideration of health into relevant public policies and enhancing intersectoral action", and asks member states to "consider developing and strengthening universal comprehensive social protection policies" to ensure that everyone has access to goods and services which are essential to health and well-being.

The resolution adds weight to calls to address the wider determinants of health and to take action on the recommendations set out in former international health promotion conferences such as the Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion and the Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health stresses that “action must start now” to address these issues, which lead to “the consequent unfairness in the immediate visible circumstances of people’s lives.”

The full text of the resolution on reducing health inequities through action on the social determinants of health can be downloaded here.

Win a top prize for writing about health

Equity Channel — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:15:00 +0200

Are you a journalist invigorated by health issues? Are your articles full of ideas about the future of healthcare?

If this sounds familiar, then there's a chance that you could win an international prize for your work.

The EU Health Prize for Journalists, part of the "Europe for patients" campaign, is still accepting submissions for articles before 15 June 2009.

The competition, run by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection, looks at promoting the Europe for Patients campaign and the 10 health policy initiatives including patients' rights in cross-border health care, patient safety and rare diseases, which aim for better healthcare for all in Europe.

The prize will reward journalists who have contributed in a significant way to helping the understanding of the EU health issues which fall within the campaign.

For more information about the selection procedure for the winning entry, plus information about the prizes to be won, please visit the competition website.

Speak out at the Sandwell Summit

Equity Channel — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:41:00 +0200

On 9-10 July the Sandwell Primary Care Trust will again stimulate thinking in the field of public health and equity by holding its Sandwell Health Other Economic Summit (SHOES) in West Bromwich, England.

The event aims to discuss topical and sometimes controversial themes linking international health and economic development, and is deliberately organised as a contrast to more orthodox events that sometimes miss the importance of public health progress.

Members of the International Collaboration on Social Determinants of Health have participated in the past: for example you can view the presentation by Paul Lincoln of the National Heart Forum on the Sandwell NHS Trust website.

The event this year will feature debates stimulated by presentations by the Department of Health for England and Dr Anna Coote, who has been helping gather together evidence on sustainable development for the Post-2010 strategic review of health inequalities in England.

The event will have an international flavour and full details of how to register can be found here.

IUHPE unveils improved website

Equity Channel — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:20:00 +0200

The International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) has announced a series of design and navigation improvements to its website.

The changes to the website are aimed at providing users with faster navigation and easier access to information about the health promotion activities of IUHPE members across the world.

French and Spanish versions of the website are in progress and will come online soon.

To view the new-look website, please visit the IUHPE homepage at http://www.iuhpe.org

Special edition of IUHPE journal focuses on health equity

Also available via the new website is a special edition of the IUHPE journal, Global Health Promotion, which contains the speeches made at the London Conference ‘Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health’.

Here you can read about the ideas and themes discussed at the first major international event to focus on the recommendations made in the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health Report. This supplement is a substantial contribution to accelerate the momentum of the international community’s commitment to prioritise health inequalities on the global agenda.

This special supplement of Global Health Promotion can be viewed at http://ped.sagepub.com/content/vol16/1_suppl/

DETERMINE partners step up their work

Equity Channel — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:50:00 +0200

An EU project aiming to stimulate action in Europe on tackling social factors influencing health has published a selection of views from policy makers about how those aims can be met, and why these aims are not already being put into practice.

Called "Voices from the Field", the views are the result of a year long study carried out by partners in the DETERMINE project consortium in 21 European states. The work was coordinated by Equity Channel collaboration partners EuroHealthNet and IUHPE, and can be easily accessed online via the project site www.health-inequalities.eu

The Determine project consortium has just completed its annual meeting, held in Prague at the invitation of the EU contract holders, the National Institute for Public Health, and the Czech Presidency of the EU. An important debate on human rights and health was prompted by a presentation from the National Institute.

Partners agreed schedules for the next phases of work, including:

•    A study of how economic analyses are currently used for work on public health linked to other sectors
•    Reports on several innovative initiatives in Denmark, Hungary, Slovenia and Belgium
•    Plans in almost all member states to develop local abilities to address health determinants
•    Preparations for a high level conference during the EU Presidency of Spain in spring 2010

At the meeting, Dr Kate Pickett, co-author with Professor Richard Wilkinson of the influential book The Spirit Level, spoke of their work and the evidence that social and economic equality is fundamental for successful states across the world. A campaign website, The Equality Trust, has been set up to develop this work.

Full information on the work of DETERMINE can be found on the project homepage, including details about known case studies and opportunities to contribute ideas, evidence and links.

EU takes action to uphold gender equity

Equity Channel — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:01:00 +0200

The European Commission has today referred Poland to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for failing to comply with EU rules on gender discrimination.

Despite a second warning, Poland had so far failed to inform the European Commission how its own national legislation has been brought into line with EU regulations which ban gender discrimination in access to and supply of goods and services.

"I regret that Poland has not yet informed the Commission of its national measures to give effect to this important legislation, which was agreed unanimously by Member States and adopted in 2004. Equal treatment is a fundamental right in the EU and this Directive is crucial to tackling discrimination on the basis of gender,” said Vladimír Špidla, EU Commissioner for Equal Opportunities.

This measure is supported by a recent WHO report on the social determinants of health, in which recommended action “includes ensuring that laws protect and promote gender equity and addressing gender biases in organisational structures and policies.”

So far, there have been 12 cases brought forward in relation to Member States failing to apply the relevant EU law (Directive 2004/113/EC), with six open cases yet to be concluded for the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Poland and The United Kingdom.

The WHO report however goes on to say that establishing separate “gender equity” units in order to properly guard against sex discrimination.

The report recommends that “national governments and international institutions…set up a gender unit that supports the consideration of gender equity implications of policies, programmes and institutional arrangements across the organisation.”

“Acting now, to improve gender equity and empower women is critical for reducing the health gap in a generation,” the report adds.

You can read the EU press release on the European Commission website here.

You can find the WHO report on the social determinants of health on this website.

Getting the message across about health inequalities

Equity Channel — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:05:00 +0200

There must be clearer, more practical messages about health inequalities, a recent conference has heard.

Strong, targeted arguments about what measures can be taken to reduce these inequalities is the most effective way of encouraging action from decision-makers, civil society and the wider general public.

The conference was titled “Reducing Health Inequalities: What do We Really Know about Successful Strategies?” and took place from 8-9 May at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. It was attended by Veronica Scognamiglio, Policy Officer, on behalf of EuroHealthNet.

Effective strategies to reduce health inequalities significantly improve quality of life and economic productivity, the conference heard, and it is these sort of messages that should be delivered along with practical recommendations for action.

“Health inequalities are deeply entrenched in modern societies, are a matter of violation of human rights, undermine the social fabric, and affect economic productivity and growth,” said Professor Klaus Hurrelmann, Professor of Public Health and Education at the Hertie School of Governance.

Dorothee Heinen, Scientific Officer from the German Federal Center for Health Education (BzgA) presented the DETERMINE project as a good example of initiatives on health inequalities at the EU level.

Further conclusions from the event highlighted the need for more powerful economic arguments on the social determinants of health, and the importance of recommending specific action based on the welfare regime of individual states, rather than attempting to find a single solution to the problem of health inequalities.

Martin McKee, Research Director of the WHO European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, called for experts and academics to send clear messages to appeal decision-makers to act.

You can download the conference presentations at the Hertie School of Governance website.

Strong public financing is paramount, say EU economic chiefs

Equity Channel — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:03:00 +0200

Public finances must be secure and sustainable despite the economic crisis, EU finance ministers have said.

They stressed that the necessary structural reforms should be carried out as soon as possible, especially in light of Europe's changing demographic nature.

“The improvement of the long-term sustainability and quality of public finances together with a strong governance framework is a crucial part of responding to the recession,” the ministers said in a statement.

The call for prioritising public spending in areas such as healthcare and other essential services formed part of the conclusions from an economic and financial affairs meeting of in Brussels.

“The fiscal impact of ageing will be substantial in almost all Member States, with effects becoming apparent already during the next decade,” they added.

Meeting as the Council of the EU, the ministers reaffirmed a commitment to a strategy for addressing the economic impacts of ageing, including reducing debt at a faster pace, raising employment rates and productivity and reforming pension, health care and long-term care systems.

Support for public spending should, however, be accompanied by serious consideration for health equity, according to a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

The report stresses that any structural reform of public financing should focus on “protecting equitable access to goods and services critical to well-being and health.”

In addition to securing public financing, the report stresses the importance of regulating private initiatives to ensure fair access to health-related goods and services for all.

“A key issue is, therefore, how much and how well government is able to oversee the function of its mixed system, plan fair provision, and regulate private sector input,” the report says.

The conclusions of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council can be found at this link.

The WHO report on the social determinants of health can be found here.

UK aims to reduce socio-economic inequalities

Equity Channel — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:49:43 +0200

The UK government has introduced legislation which will for the first time require all public bodies to actively work towards reducing inequality.

The Equality Bill will require public organisations to report on inequalities concerning gender pay, disability employment, and ethnic minority employment, according to Harriet Harman, UK Minister for Women and Equality.

“The Equality Bill will significantly strengthen and streamline discrimination legislation to make Britain a fairer and more equal place,” she said in a press release.

There will also be a series of inquiries in different sectors where there is clear inequality, carried out by the country’s Equality and Human Rights Commission, which will begin with the financial services industry and the construction industry.

In the financial services industry there is a gender pay gap of 41.5 per cent compared with the national figure of 21 per cent, while the construction industry employs just 2.5 per cent of its workers from ethnic minorities, compared with around 8 per cent across other UK industries.

The Bill also introduces support for “positive action” on equality for those organisations who wish to employ more workers from a certain under-represented group.

Certain public bodies will also be obliged to take strategic decisions “in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage,” as stated in the new legislation.

The UK Equality Bill is already provoking much discussion, and we would be keen to hear your opinions on the issue. Have you got any thoughts about the new measures? Have you seen other examples of this sort of legislation? Let us know by leaving a comment on our LinkedIn group or alternatively you can reach us via the contact page.

EU must consider mental health impact of financial crisis

Equity Channel — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:40:39 +0200

The EU has been urged to consider the mental health consequences of its economic recovery plans.

Experts from health, social affairs, education and employment sectors took part in a high level meeting in Brussels to discuss the psychosocial aspects of the economic crisis.

A panel of experts, chaired by EuroHealthNet, stressed that these psychosocial factors should be addressed before member states implement their recovery plans, including the consequences for health systems, determinants and inequalities.

Regardless of the economic crisis, mental health problems will be the greatest epidemiological crisis of the 21st century, it was suggested.

The WHO said that current surveys of states has shown that the economic crisis has had little impact on public health systems so far.

Ensuring the health of the population can help stabilise the currently uncertain financial situation in many countries, and a stronger focus on health promotion will result in future economic benefits, the WHO added.

The conference recommended that the EU takes action to enhance the resilience of individuals and communities, and the development of social and mental capital as a form of immunisation and antidote.

Policies to help child development were recommended as a priority, and the conference also discussed improving existing sustainable development policies and the need for well-being strategies in the workplace.

Further information and document are available from Clive Needle at EuroHealthNet or from the European Commission health determinants website.

Alcohol-related harms still unacceptably high, says EU report

Equity Channel — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:28:23 +0200

Alcohol continues to cause illness and violence, according to a new report on the affordability of alcohol in the EU.

The report states that across the EU increases in the affordability of alcohol are associated with increases in its consumption, and increases in alcohol consumption tend to lead to increases in the incidence of alcohol harms.

Also included in the study are findings which indicate that despite an overall decrease in consumption of alcohol in Europe, alcohol-related harms are still judged to be unacceptably high.

The findings were collected in 2008 by the think-tank RAND Europe, on behalf of the European Commission’s health and consumer affairs directorate-general.

European policy discussion on alcohol “has been characterized by a conflict of view”, according to a WHO report on the social determinants of health, over whether to treat alcohol as a regular commodity or a public health concern whose trade could be regulated.

The WHO report points to the effectiveness of increasing the price of alcohol on controlling alcohol-related harms and urges governments to work together to do more to regulate the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

To read the RAND report, please visit the European Commission’s health determinants website

The WHO report on the social determinants of health can be found at the website of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health

Deadline extended for EU consultation on health inequalities

Equity Channel — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:38:05 +0200

Please note that the deadline for the European Commission's consultation on health inequalities has been extended to 15 April.

You can find more information about the consultation, which will shape the development of EU work on tackling health inequalities, on the European Commission's public health website.

CSDH conference videos now available

Equity Channel — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:03:17 +0200

The videos from the conference "Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the Social Determinants of Health", held last year in London, can now be viewed on the website of the Global Health Equity Group, part of University College London.

The highlights of the two-day conference include speeches from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the English Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson and José Gomes Temporao, Minister of State for Health in Brazil. You can also watch the various workshops which took place on related topics such as international development, economics and human rights.

WHO conference on health in times of global economic crisis

Equity Channel — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:52:17 +0200

The WHO Regional Office for Europe together with the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Norwegian Directorate of Health, is holding a conference on discuss how the economic crisis will affect health and social protection in Europe.

The conference is called ‘Health in times of global economic crisis: implications for the WHO European Region’ and will bring together health ministers, high-level policy-makers and experts from the 53 countries in the WHO European Region to discuss how the health sector can help counter the economic downturn and reduce its negative health and social effects.

Speakers will include Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe; Mr Bjarne Håkon Hanssen, Minister of Health and Care Services, Norway; Mr Jonas Gahr Støre, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway; and Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director, International Institute for Society and Health and MRC Research Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK.

The meeting will be webcast from 13:00 to 18:00, Central European Summer Time, on Wednesday 1st April and from 09:00 to 16:00 on Thursday 2nd April. It will be broadcast in English and Russian.

For more information, please visit the relevant section of the WHO Europe website at:

http://www.euro.who.int/healthsystems/econcrisis/20090316_1

IUHPE calls for papers on major global health promotion issues

Equity Channel — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:29:55 +0200

The International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) has issued calls for papers to be submitted to its official publication, Global Health Promotion, in the following three areas:

Calls in relation to sustainable development & health; equitable & sustainable health development; and participatory governance, to engage professionals in a reflection process on the linkages between health promotion and sustainable development, in preparation for the upcoming 20th World Conference on Health Promotion in July 2010 (www.iuhpeconference.net)
Papers in English or French that relate to the implementation of health promotion programmes in Africa, as part of a Supplement edition on Health Promotion Strategies and Non-communicable Diseases Control in Africa (call opened jointly with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Case studies (in any of the three IUHPE official languages), which reflect and demonstrate how research evidence derived from epidemiological studies, evaluation research and/or research synthesis and meta-analysis is used and translated to address health challenges locally. These will be used to complement the publication of a second volume of the monograph “Global Perspectives on Health Promotion Effectiveness”.

For further information, please visit the IUHPE website:

http://www.iuhpe.org/?page=47&lang=en

The 20th World Conference on Health Promotion will be a key event in next year’s calendar. If you would like to let us know of any work that is taking place in preparation for the event , please get in touch via our contact page

EU looking for quick feedback for work on health inequalities

Equity Channel — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:10:00 +0100

The EU is collecting views on how it can contribute to reducing health inequalities both within and between Member States. It has issued a consultation on this, and will use the responses gathered as part of the development of an EU communication, due in autumn 2009, which will outline EU action to reduce health inequalities.

There is a deadline of 1 April 2009 for individuals and organisations wishing to respond to the consultation. Which measures to reduce health inequalities would you like to see taken up by the EU?

We would be interested in hearing your responses to this consultation. You can send us a copy via our contact page.

Business and the challenge of global health

Equity Channel — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:05:29 +0100

The November issue of the CSR360 Global Partner Network magazine features several articles on health inequalities, including an interview with Dr Fiona Adshead, former Deputy Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health for England and currently head of the department for Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion at the WHO in Geneva, plus a report from a meeting of the network dedicated to the final report of the WHO’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH).

The magazine looks at how many partners in the CSR360 Global Partner Network, a network of independent organisations that work in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), feel that businesses can play a vital role in tackling health inequalities. Furthermore, the WHO report has for some encouraged a more strategic approach towards tackling certain issues such as the responsibility of employers to provide workers with a good work/life balance and social benefits.

Meanwhile, Dr Fiona Adshead talks about the impact of the CSDH report in drawing attention to the relevance of health inequalities to many countries, including rich, developed societies. Economic and social prosperity depend upon a global approach towards tackling these issues, says Adshead, because many problems such as climate change and chronic diseases have their roots in the structure of society itself.

To read the full articles, please visit the website of the CSR360 Global Partner Network.

Healthy population the first step to a healthy economy

Equity Channel — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:57:54 +0100

Europe’s leaders must prioritise the health of the population when addressing the global economic situation, according to an open letter written by the organizations which make up the EU Health Policy Forum (EUHPF).

The letter will be sent to the EU institutions and permanent representations in Brussels and calls upon national leaders to maintain the important link between “health and wealth” and to think carefully about the health impacts of any proposed financial recovery measures.

“The positive link between health and economic sustainability is clear,” the letter says.

“We are monitoring with growing concern announcements and the impacts of reduced budgets for health and social expenditure in certain EU states.”

“Short-term solutions of cutting health and social expenditure proposed in some member states are short-sighted and will damage the economic recovery prospects for Europe as a whole,” the letter adds.

The EUHPF includes members of the international collaboration on the social determinants of health, including EuroHealthNet, the European Health Management Association (EHMA) and the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), as well as over 50 pan European organisations such as European Disability Forum (EDF) and the European Social Insurance Platform (ESIP).

In their open letter, the EUHPF stresses the need for greater investment in health, including health promotion, as something which is widely beneficial and can help encourage economic effectiveness, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.

Concrete action is needed from governments to address the issue of health which is at the top of people’s concerns.

“We seek leadership from heads of European states and governments with bold and decisive action that means prioritising, protecting and providing for the health of people…it is time for each government to act strongly for health.”

Please click here to download the full text of the letter (in PDF format).

Equity Channel

Equity Channel — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:31:00 +0100

Connecting People for Fair Health is an online network about the social determinants of health equity. It aims to help policy-makers in Europe to improve society’s health equity. It gathers together people and groups who are interested in creating health equity, and links them with evidence about how best to do this.

The Equity Channel will take advantage of effective online technologies through which credible scientific and policy expertise and information can be shared with key decision-makers and target audiences from other sectors, in doing so helping to determine and act on the social determinants of health.

By effective use of the Equity Channel online resources, we can all work together and play our part in the global drive to take action for health equality.