Tag: health inequalities

Addressing health inequality in Europe would provide a long-term economic boost, according to a report launched today (11 January) in Paris.

The European Commission is promoting hi-tech solutions to prevent chronic diseases and meet the health challenges of the 21st century. 

A project examining the health gap between the eastern and western members of the EU concludes that the main reasons for differences in premature death rates and ill-health are lifestyle-related.

Countries that have initiated reforms, such as Austria and Estonia, have gone up in the ranking of the most user-friendly healthcare systems, according to the 2007 EuroHealth consumer index.

A report presents government recommendations on how to invest taxpayers' money more effectively to improve the quality of health care and to ensure the financial sustainability of health systems.

In addition to promoting 'Health in all Policies', the Finnish Presidency is expected to hammer out political agreements on Health programme 2007-2013, medical devices and advanced therapies.

Germany's grand coalition has hammered out a reform of the country's underfunded health care system, which relies on a mixture of contribution raises and, for the first time, tax funding.

A report on facts and figures on women's health in Europe highlights substantial differences in women's health status, exposure to health risks and access to healthcare across Europe.

The Commission has published a green paper on the issue of mental health in Europe. Based on a consultation, to be launched shortly, it will draw up a proposal for an EU-wide strategy on mental health.

The Commission proposal for the EU Health programme 2007-2013 aligns future health action with the overall EU objectives of prosperity, solidarity and security and aims to further exploit synergies with other policies.

Markos Kyprianou has told EurActiv that since the seeds of many diseases are sown in childhood, it is important to target children and adolescents in the future health strategy.

In their contributions to the consultation on future EU health strategy, stakeholders have called for better co-ordination between public health and other policy areas, the need for more comparable data on the impact of investments in health and further debate on healthcare.

With the eastern enlargement of the EU, more attention is being drawn to the fact that the citizens of the less wealthy Central and Eastern European countries have poorer health and shorter life expectancy than those in Western Europe. In addition to the east-west gap in health, differences in health between socioeconomic groups have increased in many countries as socio-economic determinants such as education, employment and life-style affect the health.