Action for Health: Reducing health inequalities: preparation for action plans and structural funds projects

Led in the UK by Dr Nigel Sherriff of the Centre for Health Research (CHR), the main objective of this two year European project is to improve the health and quality of life of citizens by tackling health inequalities through health promotion. CHR is responsible for leading two Work Packages (WPs); WP3 on evaluation, and WP5 on capacity building in the field of health inequalities and structural funds. 

Project aims

Coordinated by Zavod za zdravstveno varstvo Murska Sobota (Institute of Public Health Murska Sobota) in Slovenia and funded by the Public Health Programme of the European Commission (DGSANCO), the project has six key objectives to:

  • Carry out a situation analyses and needs assessments with regard to basic socioeconomic factors, health determinants and structural funds plan at country level and in one chosen region
  • Identify examples of good practice for tackling health inequalities in each partner country
  • Increase the capacity of public health professionals with regards to reducing health inequalities
  • Prepare action plans for tackling health inequalities by means of health promotion at regional level compatible with structural funds' eligibility criteria and to produce a proposal of costed plans to meet the chosen objectives
  • Pilot implement one action plan's objective in each country/region
  • Increase public health capacity to reduce health inequalities by using structural funds

Action-for-Health-leaflet-cover

Download the Action for Health leaflet

Project findings and impact

The ACTION-FOR-HEALTH project has increased the capacity of public health experts and partner institutions in the fields of health inequalities, health promotion, and knowledge on structural funds. Strengthened existing, and established new, partnerships represent a particular added value of the project potentially contributing towards sustainability of outcomes.

Strategic regional action plans have been developed for seven European countries each of which reflect the local environment, culture, and health needs of the areas within which they are located. These action plans can serve as useful guidance for public health professionals to target and sustain their efforts on addressing health inequalities. Among the most important impacts of the project was the pilot implementation of one strategic objective from each of the action plans focusing on either the most vulnerable group(s) within the region and/or on the most prominent public health problem (e.g. cardio-vascular disease).

Evaluation of the pilot implementation and project as a whole, demonstrated the strategic value of the action plans for public health, the potential for translational action amongst European regions, as well as increased capacity and the development of new partnerships for participating public health institutions.

AfH-lay-summary

Download the report for Reducing health inequalities by preparation of actions plans and structural funds projects (pdf)

AfH-Situation-analysis

Download the report for Situation analysis and needs assessment in seven EU countries and regions (pdf)

AfH-reducing-health-inequalities

Download the report for Reducing health inequalities through health promotions and structural funds (pdf)

AfH-strategic-approach-Slovenia

Download the report for The strategic approach to health inequalities in the Pomurje region and Slovenia (pdf)

AfH-action-plans-in-practice

Download the report for Actions plans in practice (pdf)

Research team

Dr Nigel Sherriff

Dr Lisa Gugglberger

Professor John Kenneth Davies

Outputs

Sherriff, N.S., Gugglberger, L., Davies, J.K, and Van den Broucke, S. (under review). Capacity Building to tackle health inequalities through structural funds: the ACTION-FOR-HEALTH Project. Submitted to Health Promotion International.

Gugglberger, L. and Sherriff, N.S. (2014). Action for Health: Continuous and Final Evaluation. Final report on behalf of the ACTION-FOR-HEALTH Consortium, Brighton; °®¶¹´«Ã½.

Albreht, T., Belović, B., Darias-Curvo, S., Davies, J.K., Dorgelo, A.,Eržen, I., Gavrić, ž., Krajnc-Nikolić, T., Sherriff N.S., Van Den Broucke, S., Vervoordeldonk, J., and Wu, J. (Alphabetical order) (2014). Action for Health: Tackling health inequalities in practice (Distance Learning Tool). Murska Sobota: National Institute of Public Health Murska Sobota.

Belović, B., Darias-Curvo, S., Dimitrov, P., Fekécs, É., Gedminiene, A., Gugglberger, L., Járomi, É., Krajnc-Nikolić, T., Kutnjak Kiš, R., Machajova, M., Psota, M., Sherriff N.S., Sisask, M., Suarez Lopez de Vergara, R.G., Uvodić-Đurić, D., and Zolubiene, E. (Alphabetical order) (2014). Action Plans in practice: implementation of strategic objectives. Murska Sobota: National Institute of Public Health Murska Sobota.

Sherriff, N.S. Gugglberger, L., and Davies, J.K., on behalf of the ACTION-FOR-HEALTH Consortium (2014). Reducing Health Inequalities through Health Promotion and Structural Funds. Murska Sobota: Institute of Public Health Murska Sobota. (will send in separate email as too large for here)

Gugglberger, L. and Sherriff, N.S. (2013). Action for Health: Continuous and Final Evaluation. Interim report on behalf of the ACTION-FOR-HEALTH Consortium, Brighton; °®¶¹´«Ã½.

Partners

National institute of public health OE Murska Sobota (SI)

°®¶¹´«Ã½ (UK)

Dutch Institute for Healthcare Improvement (NL) 

Trnava University (SK)

Institute of Hygiene (LT)

Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (EE)

National Center of Public Health and Analyses (BG)

National Institute for Health and Development (HU)

Institute of Public Health of Medjimurje County (HR)

University de La Laguna (ES)