Flemish Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Name:

Annemie Peeters

Title:

Director

Email:

annemie.peeters@vigez.be

Telephone:

+32 2 422 4949

Fax:

+32 2 422 4959

Website:

http://www.vigez.be

Address:

Flemish Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Gustave Schildknechtstraat 9
BE-1020 Brussels

Country:

Belgium

Profile

1. Mission

The Flemish Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (VIGeZ) aims to promote healthy living and a healthy environment, thereby helping to create a better quality of life for everyone in Flanders.

2. Strategies

VIGeZ uses the following strategies to optimise health promotion and disease prevention in Flanders:

Supporting professionals and their organisations by providing methodologies, strategies, advice and training
Raising awareness among target groups
Supporting local implementation of Flemish preventive health policy
Making efforts towards healthier policies at every level and in every sector
Encouraging cooperation between professionals and all those working in health promotion and disease prevention or who have an influence on human health

3. Who are we?

VIGeZ is an expertise centre for health promotion and disease prevention. VIGeZ provides strategies, advice, methodologies, support of implementation and training for health workers and professionals. These are aimed at all those involved in health promotion and disease prevention. It is for both front-line workers and policymakers.

4. What do we do?

Our experts develop ready-to-use packs with a strong scientific foundation. These support the work done by health professionals. VIGeZ fulfills a link function between the theory and practice of health promotion.

VIGeZ works closely with the LOGOs, thereby supporting local activities around the six Flemish health targets.

Scientific foundation
The activities of VIGeZ are based on a solid scientific foundation and directed in a planned way by project managers. The in-house experts play an active part in project teams. They encourage and coordinate a large number of joint ventures and networks.

Theory and practice
VIGeZ is a platform for debate and exchange of ideas, helping to bridge the gap between theory and practice by providing methodologies that intermediaries can use.

Themes, settings and target groups
VIGeZ provides thematic expertise in the area of health promotion in general and on the themes of nutrition and physical activity, smoking prevention and accident prevention in the home. It also provides expertise in selecting approaches for education, workplace and local community settings, aiming at various target groups such as underprivileged groups and the ageing population.

Supporting LOGOs
VIGeZ helps the LOGOs to work through their local networks to targets in the areas of substance misuse, nutrition and physical activity, accident prevention, vaccination, breast cancer detection and suicide prevention.

5. Our customers

VIGeZ does not direct its services directly towards the general public but focuses on professional intermediaries, the government, the media and businesses.

Health professionals
Health professionals involved in health promotion and disease prevention. These include LOGOs, schools, neighbourhood health centres, medical and paramedical personnel.

The media
Journalists translate the messages issued by VIGeZ so they will reach a wider audience. VIGeZ makes journalistic work easier and provides a robust basis for an article or report.

The Government
VIGeZ offers advice to the Community Ministers, the Flemish Health Agency and local authorities (provinces and municipalities).

6. Our services

Advice and consultancy

Health professionals, policymakers, businesses and journalists can all contact VIGeZ for advice and consultancy, coaching and tailored training.

Project development service

VIGeZ is a trendsetter in the area of health when it comes to high-quality projects and vision development, and will guide your project towards higher quality, a clear vision and an effective approach.

Is your project narrowing the health gap?

Through this coaching process we systematically screen the steps involved in projects that aim to narrow the health gap. We look at whether you are addressing the real causes of inequality, whether your chosen methods and materials are suitable and whether you have put everything in place to build equal health opportunities on a sustainable footing.

Documentation

A unique collection of Dutch-language and international specialist literature and materials for professionals, intermediaries and students.

Health in Country

Health situation in Belgium

General information on the health status of the population and the organization of health services in Belgium (and Flanders) can be found on:

EU Highlights on health give an overview of Belgian’s health status
Portal for information on health in Belgium
General website Belgium
Health interview survey in Belgium
Kenniscentrum Gezondheidszorg
Preventive health care in Flanders

Belgium has a complex structure, with responsibilities divided between the Federal Government and the Communities and Regions. Since the reform of the State in 1980, Flanders is responsible for people-related matters such as health care and welfare. Nevertheless the Federal Government still carries a partial responsibility for care and health policy.

The special law of 8 August 1980 on the Reform of Institutions sets out in article 5, §1 the precise responsibilities of the Flemish Government. In brief, Flanders is now responsible for policy in the following areas:

provision of care within and outside care institutions, with the exception of areas expressly reserved for the Federal Government;
preventive health care and healthy parenting.

Preventive health care in Flanders

Flanders has a policy on preventive health care aimed at achieving improvements in health at the population level, so that people can live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. As well as preventive health care, Flanders also has a multisectoral health policy. This means maximising efforts to prevent, protect and preserve health.
The legal basis for this policy is established in the Decree of 21 November 2003 on preventive health policy.

Policy instruments

Health targets
Health targets are specific, measurable and generally accepted objectives that are pursued within a specific period with a view to making improvements to health at the population level. Priorities are established within preventive health care policy.

A health target is approved by the Flemish Government and the Flemish Parliament. The work done on health targets is based on the decree of 21 November 2003 on preventive health policy.

Health targets are closely linked to monitoring of health indicators. Using various types of registration data it is possible to map (changes in) the state of health of the Flemish population on the basis of health indicators. These indicators show what the most important health problems are and therefore provide a starting-point for defining health targets. They also make it possible to monitor delivery of each health target.

The Flemish Government has defined health targets in 6 areas:

1. Health target: Nutrition and physical activity
• Flemish Action Plan: Nutrition and Physical Activity 2009-2015
• Health Conference on Nutrition and Physical Activity

2. Health target: Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs
• Flemish Action Plan: Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs 2009-2015

3. Health target: Breast Cancer Detection
• Health Conference on Breast Cancer Detection

4. Health target: Suicide prevention
• Flemish Action Plan: Suicide Prevention 2006-2010
• Health Conference on Suicide Prevention

5. Health target: Prevention of Accidents at Home

6. Health Objective: Infectious Diseases and Vaccination

Health conference
A health conference brings together a number of experts to discuss a health problem, with the aim of producing a proposed health target and putting in place prevention strategies on a solid scientific foundation in order to deliver the objective. A health conference also gives due consideration to the (financial) resources needed to achieve the objective.

Flemish working groups
To ensure that experts in the various sectors make the maximum contribution to policy and to increase the support base, Flemish working groups are formed, sometimes at health conferences, to work on a specific area of policy.

Population research
Flanders organises population studies in the area of disease prevention. These offer generalised, stuctured ways of detecting or screening for specific diseases or risks in people who generally do not yet have any symptoms. This makes it possible to diagnose diseases at an earlier stage, leading to better results from treatment and preventing complications. The Flemish Government has set itself the goal of protecting the population from unnecessary screening and guaranteeing the quality of population research.

Players

The Flemish Government works with a number of players to deliver its preventive health policy:

LOGOs are local-regional health networks (Dutch: Loco-regionaal Gezondheidsoverleg en -Organisatie).
Partner organisations are expertise centres in the field of prevention, focusing on a specific area of policy. Their expertise is focused on an area of health promotion and/or disease prevention, or involves the supply of registration data or a combination of these.
Front-line organisations are organisations responsible for working in the field in preventive health policy.
Individual care providers

What are LOGOs?

LOGO stands for local-regional health networks (Dutch: Loco-regionaal Gezondheidsoverleg en -Organisatie). The LOGOs are geographically defined networks in which different organisations work together to deliver Flemish preventive health policy at the local-regional level. LOGOs therefore help within their own region to deliver the measures and actions defined by the Flemish Government to promote, protect or preserve the health of the population.

The LOGOs in Flanders are non-profit associations. The LOGO in Brussels Capital has been set up by the Flemish Community Commission.

The Flemish Government approves the LOGOs for a 6 year period and subsidises their operations.

Projects & Programmes

Tutti Frutti - Fruit at school: The fruit project aims to encourage young people to eat more fruit by providing fruit at school every week. Tutti Frutti is operating in Flemish primary and secondary schools.

Happy neighbourhood - Tailored advice for your neighbourhood or municipality: Interactive programme allowing a municipality or neighbourhood to organise campaigns around healthy living. You receive tailored advice that takes into account the composition and characteristics of the local population.

Improve your mental fitness: The Mental Fitness website is intended to provide active training and care for your mental health. It contains information on a number of mental health problems and tips to improve your mental well-being. All those aged over 16 who want to improve their mental fitness can make use of this online tool.

Fit School - Exercise and healthy nutrition: The Fit School project offers schools a way of developing an integrated nutrition and exercise policy

Keeping Fresh - Healthy air at school In many classrooms the quality of the "indoor environment" is not ideal – or is even poor. Stuffy, hot, dusty rooms, dirty windows and unpleasant odours have real consequences: negative effects on health, performance and motivation for teachers and students. Do something about it by taking part in this project for primary schools.

Smoke-free Class Competition - For secondary schools Students make a commitment as a class to be at least 90% smoke-free after six months. Any class can register for this contest, regardless of the number of smokers in the class at the beginning. The competition runs from October to April.

Indicator measurement: health policy in schools, businesses and municipalities: VIGeZ is working with the Flemish Government and the LOGOs to find out about the policies of schools, businesses and municipalities on smoking, nutrition and exercise. 2051 Flemish schools, 1086 businesses , 133 municipalities and 117 OCMWs in Flanders and Brussels completed a detailed questionnaire in 2009. Earlier surveys were carried out in 2003 and 2006.

Healthy inspiration - Database of best practice for local action Flemish organisations present their initiatives for equal opportunities in the area of healthy living. They range from hands-on courses in affordable, tasty and healthy cooking to a neighbourhood-based approach to encourage toddlers to brush their teeth more effectively. The people behind the initiatives explain how they were put into practice, what was most difficult, the results, the time taken and lots more.

Air@school - Healthy air in the classroom The air in our classrooms is very unhealthy. All Flemish secondary schools receive a DVD featuring Claire (Sien Eggers) and can register. The project is free of charge, and schools can also use the project box free of charge.Nv gezond (Health Ltd)

Nv Gezond (Health Ltd) This innovative project aims to keep employees at work longer by encouraging healthy living habits. "nv gezond" specifically aims to encourage the SMEs in a business park to work together on a health at work policy.

Encouraging smoking cessation - Training in motivational interviewing Motivating people to stop smoking begins with a good interview. A web application helps care providers with this. Working at your own pace, you can develop a directive, client-focused interview style that will allow you to motivate your patients to change their behaviour.

BOEBS - Preventing falls among elderly people Stand On Your Own Two Feet (Dutch: Blijf Op Eigen Benen Staan or BOEBS) is a project to prevent falls among elderly people. BOEBS aims to highlight and encourage independence and self-reliance among elderly people. BOEBS focuses on mobility and environmental safety. Would you like to start up BOEBS in your municipality?