Health Highlights April 2022

Welcome to Health Highlights, EuroHealthNet’s monthly newsletter. We bring you the most important news and information about health equity, wellbeing, and their determinants.

31 May 2022, 13:30-17:30 CET, Brussels 

Demographic change, growing inequalities, climate crisis, COVID-19, and the impacts of war are affecting the health and wellbeing of our societies. This year’s in-person EuroHealthNet seminar will explore how we can mitigate these challenges. Discussions will focus on:

• Securing the conditions for health equity and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence;
• Prioritising public investments for healthy and active ageing; and
• Strengthening our societies, through concepts like the Economy of Wellbeing.

The seminar will feature speakers from the European Commission, UNESCO Chair for Global Health and Education, the Centre for Global Health Inequalities Research (CHAIN), Eurochild, Public Health Wales, the Ambient Assisted Living Association, and the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health and Families. You are very welcome to join us in Brussels. 

The Conference on the Future of Europe is a citizen-led series of debates and discussions, running between May 2021 and May 2022, enabling Europeans to share ideas and help shape the EU’s common future. The initiative has led to several citizens’ proposals, to be finalised in April and presented to the EU institutions on 9 May (Europe Day).

Action on health determinants is a strong theme in the citizens’ proposals. Importance was given to healthy lifestyles, food security and the environmental impact of our consumption habits. A strong social protection for youth, a more sustainable and resilient economy, good working conditions and social justice in the green and digital transition were also key priorities.

During a plenary debate between the European Commission and Parliament, Members of Parliament called for the development of an EU Mental Health strategy. A joint EU effort on mental health is especially welcome against the backdrop of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the current socioeconomic crisis. Linking to the EU NCD Initiative “Healthier Together”, the Commission noted that a plan of action on mental health was in the pipeline.

The Commission has also recently mobilised €9 Million through the EU4Health programme to assist people fleeing Ukraine in urgent need of mental health support services.

On 12 April, EuroHealthNet and the South-Eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) held a meeting with their members from EU Member States that border Ukraine, and Moldova. They discussed common and specific challenges related to public health resulting from the Ukraine crisis. The meeting hosted state secretaries for health, directors of national public health institutes and senior officers. They exchanged views on which further support is needed or can be given in terms of connections, information, joint advocacy and proposals for joint implementation measures of the public health institutes. 

RIVM and EuroHealthNet have co-authored an article on facilitators and barriers to intersectoral co-operation to promote healthier and more environmentally friendly behaviour. The paper built on the knowledge from the Horizon2020 INHERIT project. It found that successful collaboration can be achieved by highly motivated and actionable partners in supportive environments that foster collaboration. Limited structural and human resources as well as negative attitudes from specific stakeholders can be key barriers.

This study comes at a timely moment. On World Health Day (7 April), both the European Commission and WHO/Europe urged countries to create healthier living environments to improve health and wellbeing.

EuroHealthNet has responded to consultations on:

• The European Care Strategy (including for the revision of the EU targets for Early Childhood Education and Care, and a Long-Term Care initiative)
• The revision of the Barcelona targets on childcare to increase women’s labour market participation (in a joint response with the EU Alliance for Investing in Children)
• Access to affordable and high-quality long-term care (in a joint response with the EU Alliance for Investing in Children)
• The European Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation for adequate minimum income schemes in the EU
• The Framework to strengthen implementation of the WHO European Action Plan to reduce harmful use of alcohol (EAPA) 2022-2025
• The EU NCDs Initiative “Healthier Together”
  

Find all our consultation responses here.

Other ongoing consultations:

• Nutrients – action plan for better management – Deadline 26 April
• Poverty and inequality – distributional impact assessments (guidance) – Deadline 2 May
• 3rd Health Programme (2014-2020) – final evaluation – Deadline 3 June
• Brain drain – mitigating challenges associated with population decline (communication) – Deadline 21 June
• Excise duty on alcohol and alcoholic beverages – evaluation of excise duty rates and tax structures – Deadline 4 July

To encourage health-promoting behaviour and sustainable choices, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has opened a centre to collect and analyse cultural, behavioural and media insights. The centre aims to provide decision-makers with information to plan the most effective actions based on the information collected.

The Institute of Public Health (IPH) of Ireland called for better integration of public health measures during a public hearing on the Irish Gambling Regulation Bill. Recommendations include reducing the exposure to gambling-related harms, protecting vulnerable people, regulating the marketing of the industry, and ensuring public health representation in decision-making processes.

• Belgian government consults young people on the role of the EU for a more social and healthy Europe, EuroHealthNet speaks and moderates session.
• Asked about their priorities for the long-term approach to the pandemic, citizens say ‘continue to provide healthcare and keep society open’ – A survey by the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
• Public Health Wales reports on the impact of EU Structural Funds on health and wellbeing in disadvantaged areas of Wales, and proposes areas of improvement for future replacement regional funding schemes.
• The Slovenian National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) talks to teachers about the effect of home schooling during COVID-19 on students’ cognitive abilities and mental health. Teachers see deterioration in literacy, reading, and concentration, and increased anxiety, impulsivity, and restlessness.
• With 730,000 elderly people reportedly living alone in Greece, Prolepsis Institute has engaged in the “Friendship at every age programme”, which aims to combat loneliness and social isolation among these groups.
• Public Health Wales launches toolkit on Healthy Environments, to support training throughout the country on big issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and various environmental impacts, in line with the aims of the Welsh Well-being of Future Generations Act.
• People with the lowest 20% of incomes were 2.5 times as likely to die of COVID-19 – the Dutch Centre of Expertise on Health Disparities (Pharos) reviews 50 reports and articles on the pandemic and its impact on people with lower socioeconomic status.
• A collection of real-life experiences on the impact of discrimination in health care on worsening health inequalities, and mental and physical health – Pharos
• Swedish annual report on the development of public health shows growing number of adults and children living in poverty and increasing severe mental strain in the population, amongst other things – Public Health Agency of Sweden

The Special Committee will review the EU’s response to COVID-19 in relation to its impact on growing inequalities, socioeconomic crises and the international governance landscape. It aims to develop a political mandate that better prepares the Union in a range of areas, including NCDs, mental health, health inequalities, vaccine equity and digital health.

EuroHealthNet presented the Partnership’s good practices on tackling the health impacts of poverty and social exclusion among children and families during the European Commission’s fifth meeting of the network of national coordinators of the European Child Guarantee. Our intervention comes at a crucial time, when EU countries are in the process of, or have already submitted, their national Action Plans on the implementation of the European Child Guarantee.

The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) scientific opinion emphasises that any nutrient profiling model should be based on “the public health importance” of certain nutrients and non-nutrients. It is yet to be determined how food labels will calculate the nutritional value and how food is consumed. The opinion will feed into the Commission’s proposals on front-of-pack nutritional labelling, to be published by the end of 2022.

The Conclusions cite the benefits that sport, physical activity and active mobility generate for economies, education, empowerment, the inclusion of people with disabilities, and climate change. Physical activity and sports, particularly those that take place outdoors or in natural environments, can contribute to improving citizens’ environmental literacy, as well as raising awareness for the need to protect the environment, and mitigate climate change.

Air pollution Why clean air standards have to be health-based – a factsheet by the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)

Children & young people UNESCO Chair for Global Health and Education collects case studies of successful projects and initiatives on how to involve children and young people in improving their health and wellbeing.

Climate Change The next few years are critical for climate action as greenhouse gas emission needs to be halved by 2030 – a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

COVID-19 in prisons Prisoners more vulnerable to COVID-19: WHO Europe presents ‘Good practices in managing infectious diseases in prison settings‘.

Dementia The Community Collaboration Concept, an output from the Embracing Dementia (EDEN) Project, helps set up dementia-friendly and -inclusive communities. Additionally, the EDEN platform offers resources for people living with dementia, as well as their loved-ones, professionals and volunteers.

Employment & skills Ukrainians The European Commission has launched a Ukrainian version of the EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals. The tool helps users to map their skills and find jobs and other opportunities.  

Environmental sustainability Denmark allocates public funds to develop a climate label for food, to encourage consumption of “climate-friendly foods” – foodnavigator.com

Gender health gap Young female professionals face a 7.2% gender pay gap at the start of their careers, with pay inequalities widening among older workers, potentially due to caring responsibilities – European Commission

Industry & health equity Business has a key part to play in improving social conditions that affect health & health equity – The Marmot review for industry

Health promotion WHO Europe creates Health-Promoting Sports Clubs National Audit Tool to help countries further support sports clubs to promote health through a whole-of-community approach

Noncommunicable Diseases New Heads of State and Government Group aims to accelerate progress towards SDG target 3.4.1 for NCDs – a one-third reduction in premature deaths from diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart and lung disease as well as the promotion of mental health and wellbeing.

Public health communication A matter of life and death: Explaining the wider determinants of health in the UK – The Health Foundation

Social protection An analysis of policies in 35 network countries notes that unequal access to social protection by young people is influenced by age and activity status – European Social Policy Network

Sustainable Development Goals UNECE region on track to achieve only 15% of SDG targets, with significant shortfalls in income and gender equality, nutrition and sustainable food supplies, climate change policies, and most health targets – UNECE

European Immunization Week 2022 – WHO Europe – 24-30 April

EU NCDs “Healthier Together” Initiative webinar – European Commission – 27 April (access via EU Health Policy Platform)

What are the commercial determinants of cancer control policy? – European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies – 27 April

Build back fairer: tackling health inequalities for a healthy future – UCL Health of the Public – 28 April

Launch of the WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022 – WHO/Europe – 3 May

WHO Europe Pan-European Mental Health Coalition 1st meeting – 4-5 May

EU Health Policy Platform annual meeting – European Commission – 4-5 May

Promoting health in the community: social prescribing and other strategies (members only) – EuroHealthNet Country Exchange Visit – 4-5 May

European Mental Health Week 2022 – Mental Health Europe – 9-13 May

Joint Action Best-ReMaP Second Policy Decision Making Forum – 12 May (partners only)

CultureForHealth project Roundtable and Study Visit: Arts in Health Prevention and Promotion – 15-18 May

24th IUPHE World Conference on Health Promotion – International Union for Health Promotion and Education – 15-19 May

European Public Health Week 2022: Health throughout the Life course – 16–20 May

• Webinar on building bridges between the society and health care system, to create immunisation equity – RIVER-EU – 17 May (more information soon)
• The role of urban planning on health and climate equity (EuroHealthNet speaking) – Competence Centre on Climate and Health at the Austrian National Public Health Institute – 18 May

Behavioural Science Unit Launch Webinar – Public Health Wales – 19 May

EuroHealthNet Annual meeting – 31 May-1 June

• Growing strong in times of crisis – Investing in wellbeing and health equity for young and old – EuroHealthNet annual seminar – 31 May
• EuroHealthNet General Council Meeting (members only) – 1 June

Exchange of good practices in occupational safety and health (OSH) – EU-OSHA European Agency for Safety and Health at Work – 13-14 June

Future directions for nutrition and physical activity policies to prevent NCDs across Europe – Joint Action Best-ReMaP, projects CO-CREATE, STOP and PEN joint symposium – 14-16 June

EuroHealthNet TWIG on Social Marketing at the French Prevention Days: Tobacco Prevention Workshop – 16-17 June (more information soon)

IMMUNION: Train the Trainers on vaccine confidence and communication – 21 June

ONE – Health, Environment, Society – Conference 2022 – 21-24 June

15th European Public Health Conference – 9-12 November 2022 (Abstract submission open until 1 May, early registration open until 1 September)

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