http://www.health-gradient.eu

The Gradient Evaluation Framework (GEF) now available online

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 1/02/2012

As a core part of the project, GEF has been developed as a European action-oriented policy tool to guide and inform technical experts in public health working at the Member State level. Linked directly to the policy cycle, GEF is designed to assist those involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that aim to reduce health inequalities and level-up the gradient in health and its social determinants among children, young people and their families.

The GEF has been published by the University of Brighton under the direction of Prof John Kennet Davies and Dr Nigel Sherriff and is now available online on the GRADIENT website.

Click here for more information and to download the GEF

How can the health equity impact of universal policies be evaluated?

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 26/01/2012

Because universal policies are usually applied to whole populations, and are often complex in nature with long causal chains, this precludes a true experimental design, and other approaches to evaluation are required. This report presents arguments and case studies from an expert group meeting convened to clarify the importance and challenges of evaluating universal policies, and to outline potential approaches to assessing the impact of universal policies on health inequities.
The report also identifies key research and policy questions that need evaluating as a matter of priority, and sets the agenda for partnership working to develop these methods further.

Here available on line

Poverty endangers child health before birth

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 24/01/2012

Experts in epigenetics – which explores how someone’s environment and lifestyle choices can influence their genetic code, and that of their children – studied a samples of 239 people from the most deprived and the most affluent areas of Glasgow.
Results suggest that factors experienced by expectant mothers in areas of deprivation cause “bugs” to develop in the DNA of embryos, which make them more likely to develop diseases at early age when they become adults.

Launch of the European Website of Healthy Aging

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 18/01/2012

On January 17th 2012 in the context of the European Year of Healthy AgingEuroHealthNet launches its new website: www.healthyageing.eu.

This website is dedicated to raising awareness of healthy ageing within the context of the European Year of Healthy Aging 2012, especially the important role health promotion plays during the whole lifespan, in contributing to a healthier, more active EU population for the future. The new website will highlight key factors such as, promoting healthy diets, physical activities, social relations and meaningful activities necessary for ageing healthily throughout a person’s life.

For more information click here

EFCNI launched the Call to Action for Newborn Health in the European Parliament

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 23/11/2011

EFCNI alongside Dr. Angelika Niebler (MEP) and Dr. Peter Liese (MEP) launched the Call to Action for Newborn Health, on Tuesday 22 November and Wednesday 23 November 2011 in Brussels.

The Call to Action is based on the recommendations from Caring for Tomorrow: EFCNI White Paper on Maternal and Newborn Health and Aftercare Services in Europe, which has also been presented on this occasion.

Launch of the European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 14/11/2011

On the 14th of November 2011 the European Portal for Action on Health Inequalities www.health-inequalities.eu has been launched. The new website is an exhaustive source of information on health inequalities at EU, national and regional level, on social determinants of health and on Health in All Policies. It aims to provide visitors with practical and useful information and to give them opportunities to promote their own work.

UNICEF UK report examines children�s well-being in UK, Sweden and Spain

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 29/09/2011

This research paints a complex picture of the relationship between well-being, materialism and inequality across Spain, Sweden and the UK. Children want time with their parents, good relationships with their friends and lots of stimulating things to do, according to the report’s findings.

In the UK, however, the research shows parents struggling to find time to be with their children or to help them participate in sporting and creative activities and as a substitute feeling forced to purchase consumer goods.

Consumer goods play a multi-faceted role in children’s lives – sometimes positive and sometimes negative – and there is no doubt that status technology and clothing brands do play their part in generating or highlighting social divisions amongst children.

Whilst researchers witnessed all of these dynamics in Spain and Sweden, the pressure to consume appears much less and the resilience much greater than in the UK.

View report here

An Equal Start - Why Gender Matters for Child Survival and Maternal Health

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 29/09/2011

Save the Children has recently published a report which focuses on the huge ramifications of gender inequality and, notably, shows a clear correlation between the power and status of women in society, the state of their health and the mortality of their children. The launch event will focus on these three areas embracing the impact and influence of the EU and marrying it with experience and insight from the field. The round table discussion will provide an opportunity to share ideas and recommendations for future action, focusing on the role of the EU and its partners in combating discrimination against women and girls and in their empowerment.

Contribute to the Intergroup on Youth debate!

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 28/07/2011

The Intergroup on Youth brings together a number of MEPs interested in working on issues pertaining to youth. Previous sessions of the intergroup have focused on youth unemployment, early school leaving and health inequalities and youth. EuroHealthNet is meeting the vice-chair for the intergroup, Eider Gardiazábal Rubial MEP, in August to discuss the intergroup’s work plan for 2012.

If you have suggestions for future areas of work for the intergroup, please contact John Considine or Stecy Yghemonos from the Policy and Advocacy team at EuroHealthNet.

More information about the intergroup can be found here.

HBSC Scotland 2011

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 14/07/2011

The Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit of the University of Edinburgh has recently published the results of the 6th wave of the Scottish Health behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Report. Despite several improvements still 9% of the adolescents reported low SES and poor family affluence. Only 51% of young people always feel safe in their local area and only one third eat fruit and vegetables daily.

For the full report

Poverty affects the brain development

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 13/07/2011

Children growing up in poverty have much poorer brain development and cognitive development than children growing up in not-poor environments. Research in neuroscience shows that interventions to train self-control and attention in low SES children and parent skills training for their parents are mostly effective to level up the gap.

to read more on this issue

Tackling early school leaving

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 11/07/2011

The European Council reached political agreement on the recommendation regarding policies to reduce early school leaving, which seeks to promote progress towards the Europe 2020 headline target of reducing school drop-out rates to less than 10% by 2020 (as compared with 14.4% in 2009).

To read more on this issue

Literature review on Benefits of a Maternity / Parental Leave in the EU-27

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 5/07/2011

The European parliament has published a literature review on Benefits of a Maternity / Parental Leave and the relevant benefits through which welfare states provide support to families to contribute to social reproduction, to guarantee a good start in life for children, to protect children’s and mothers’ wellbeing and more recently to address current demographic and economic problems and help families to achieve work/family balance.

For more information on this review

Draft Council conclusions

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 27/05/2011

On the 24th of May the Council of the European Union has published a draft of conclusions addressing child poverty and the promotion of child health and well-being. The Council stresses that this issue requires a comprehensive approach and the use of adequate financial and human resources. The member states have to bear in mind that child poverty can only be tackled when also the conditions of the parents and family are addressed. Access to education, healthcare services and social services has to be ensured together with strategies that support parents’ income and employment. The Member States are invited to combat child poverty and promote child well-being across all policies, and at all levels. The most important key factor is to improve early childhood education and care.

To more information, click here.

Strengthening Family Policies within the EU Social Policy Agenda

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 12/05/2011

On the 1st of April 2011, an informal meeting of Ministers of demography and family policy issues was held in Gödöllö, Hungary. This meeting brought forward the commitment of taking the family perspective into account when formulation and developing EU social policies, by Poland and the trio presidency of Spain, Hungary and Belgium. They will concentrate on the impact of family life and work on the demography. Moreover, the main priorities will be on children’s rights, gender equality, and tackling poverty.

For more information, click here.

3rd EU Day of Solidarity

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 12/05/2011

On the 29th of April a conference, Towards the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations (EY2012), was held in Brussels. This conference was concerned with the recommendations and objectives on how to realize a society for all ages and how to empower the older generations in the labor market.

To read more, click here.

Education reforms in the EU

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 12/05/2011

The European Commission will publish an analytical report on the progress of Member States towards the achievement of the shared European objectives in education and training. The report will entail data and information on the performance of the countries, compared with the average level, and on how the EU education systems go about innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

For the information and to read the background report of 2009, click here.

Doing better for Families

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 29/04/2011

The organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has published a report on the importance of policies for families. Families are essential in population solidarity and play a major role in sustaining a healthy economy. A positive change is noticeable in life expectancy, mortality rates and the quality of life. This publication looks at the policy concerned with the change and support of families.

For more information on this book, click here.

HEALTH INEQUALITIES: ENGAGEMENT IN HEALTH WHAT CAN BE DONE AT LOCAL LEVEL

http://www.health-gradient.eu — 21/04/2011

HEALTH INEQUALITIES:

ENGAGEMENT IN HEALTH
WHAT CAN BE DONE AT LOCAL LEVEL?

THE CONFERENCE IS HELD IN BUDAPEST AND ORGANIZED BY THE HUNGARIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH DEVELOPMENT AND THE FRIEDRICH EBERT FOUNDATION DATE OF CONFERENCE: 12th of May, 2011

To register for the conference, please send an e-mail by 6th May 2011 to the following address: regisztracio@oefi.antsz.hu

European Public Health Conference 2011