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The European Public Health Association
Newsletter - August 2020
 
 

Newsletter - August 2020

  1. Editorial
  2. EUPHA update
  3. European Public Health Conference
  4. EUPHA members update
  5. European Journal of Public Health
  6. Call for proposals, job opportunities
  7. Interesting news
  8. Upcoming courses and conferences
  9. Interesting publications
  10. European Commission news
  11. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news
  12. WHO news
 

1. Editorial

We hope you have all enjoyed a good and healthy summer break, even in this time of limited travel. In this newsletter, we are happy to update you on the latest in European public health. 

Wishing you pleasant reading, 

Iveta Nagyova, EUPHA president and Dineke Zeegers Paget, EUPHA executive director

2. EUPHA update

Public health ethics, law and human rights for the future of humanity

FREE WEBINAR SERIES
Session #1: Justice, solidarity and public’s health
Date: 23rd September 2020, 2:00-3:30 pm BST (London) – check your timezone
Keynote presentations:

  • Professor Larry Gostin (Georgetown University; WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law & Human Rights)
  • Professor Sir Michael Marmot (University College London Institute of Health Equity)

Organised by: UK Faculty of Public Health, EUPHA Section on Ethics in Public Health, EUPHA initiative on Public health and law
Attendance is free but registration is required. Click here to register
Questions: UKpublichealth.ethics@gmail.com

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register...

EUPHAnxt coordinator

This month we say goodbye to Sara McQuinn, our EUPHAnxt coordinator. She has been leading the next generation network with great enthusiasm, with one of the highlights being a plenary speaker at the European Public Health conference in Marseille in 2019. Thank you Sara for all your hard work and commitment, and good luck with your PhD!

She hands over to Pasquale Cacciatore, who is already part of the EUPHAnxt team as communications manager. We welcome Pasquale as the new coordinator of EUPHAnxt!

EUPHA at the World Congress on Public Health

#EUPHAatWCPH2020
Only a few weeks away from the 16th World Congress on Public Health, the EUPHA community is looking forward to represent the European voice of public health at this large digital event.
There are more than 70 sessions led or co-led by EUPHA including workshops, pre-conferences, World Leadership Dialogues and plenary sessions.
Find out more and join the conversation on social media at #WCPH2020 as well as #EUPHAatWCPH2020. Make sure you also follow @EUPHActs on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube to receive the latest updates.

ExACT workshop at the World Congress, October 2020


The scientific advancement of ExACT will be presented during the 
workshop “Harnessing the digital transformation of disease prevention: a focus on m-health and genomics” that will take place during the 16th World Congress on Public Health 2020 (https://wcph2020.com/) co-organized by EUPHA. The workshop is organized by the EUPHA Sections of Public Health Epidemiology together with Public Health GenomicsDigital Health and Health Promotion. The speakers are Prof. Stefania Boccia (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy), Anant Jani (Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, University of Oxford), Giordano Bottà (Allelica Rome), Mark Kroese (PHG Foundation), and Vasileios Nittas (Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich). 

http://www.exactproject.net/site/

Migration and health in 2019 - track report Marseille

Today EUPHA publishes 'Migration and health in 2019' report. This report summarises the migration and health track from the 12th European Public Health Conference, held 20 till 23 November 2019 in Marseille, France. It reports on key messages from the sessions and discussions in Marseille.

https://eupha.org/repository/advocacy/Mi...

Appointment to the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health

We are honoured that our president, Dr. Iveta Nagyova, is ppointed as member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health. 
The functions of this advisory group (TAG) are to:

  1. Advise WHO on how to adopt behavioural insights and science perspectives to support WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work and how to identify priority areas for implementation within WHO and in Member States;
  2. Make recommendations to WHO for the development of an operational framework for the mainstreaming of behavioural insights and sciences into WHO operations, particularly in the area of providing technical advice on national health policies and programme planning; and
  3. Advise WHO on potential challenges and risks for the Organization related to the recommendations made by TAG.
https://www.who.int/departments/science-...

Contribute to research project on digital tools for vaccination

In the context of the EUVIS (EUrope Vaccines ICT Strategies) project, the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) Sections on Digital Health (EUPHA-DH) and Infectious Diseases Control (EUPHA-IDC), are conducting semi-structured interviews aiming to collect best practices on the use and impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and digital tools to increase vaccine uptake and ultimately vaccination coverage in Europe.

We invite those of you interested in the topic to collaborate with us and take part in the interviews.
The interview is semi-structured and self-administered, available at the following link:  https://forms.gle/egWTAi55usPRsWg1A (takes approximately 20 minutes)

What did you miss this summer?

Highlights of EUPHA's advocacy work over the summer:
26 June
Oral statement on the draft European Programme of Work, 2020-2025: United action for better health in Europe
This statement was delivered by Dr. Iveta Nagyova, EUPHA president, at the non-state actors (NSAs) meeting with WHO Europe on 26 June 2020.
Read the full statement here.
21 July
Europe should not cut back on the health budget, not now
During the meeting of the European Council 17-21 July, it concluded that the budget for the much needed health programme i.e. EU4Health, is cut to €1.7 billion (just 18% of the Commission’s proposed budget). This is unconceivable at a time where new cases of COVID-19 are on the rise in multiple EU Member States. Read our full statement here.
12 August
Migration and health in 2019 - track report Marseille
EUPHA published the 'Migration and health in 2019' report. This report summarises the migration and health track from the 12th European Public Health Conference, held 20 till 23 November 2019 in Marseille, France. It reports on key messages from the sessions and discussions in Marseille.

3. European Public Health Conference

WCPH2020: GET CONNECTED TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

The 16th World Congress on Public Health (WCPH2020) goes virtual with over 3,000 abstracts from 100 countries accepted. Pre-conferences on 12 October. Daily sessions from 13-16 October from 7 am – 9 pm Central European Time. Live plenary sessions, live World Leadership Dialogues, live workshops, network lounges, chat boxes, Join the Networks, exhibition areas. Read more.

Instructions for oral presenters
The instructions for presenters of oral sessions/short communications are posted at our website. If you have an oral presentation the instructions were sent directly to you. Please, check your spambox first.
Instructions for workshops presenters and speakers at plenary sessions, World Leadership Dialogues and pre-conferences will be announced shortly.

Registration
Do not miss the chance to participate in this unique event. Registration rates for the virtual WCPH2020 have been substantially reduced, with further discount for students and for delegates from emerging countries. More than 3,200 colleagues from over 120 countries have already registered. And you? More information and registration here.

Pre-conferences at WCPH2020
EUPHA Sections are organizing an interesting programme of pre-conferences at WCPH2020. Pre-conferences are held on Monday 12 October 2020. Pre-conferences are payable sessions and registration is required. If you wish to attend, please add it to your registration or contact registration@wcph2020.com.

  • Privacy by default, security by design. Effects of GDPR on public health research by EUPHA PHMR, DIG, ETH, HSR and others
  • Contagion 2.0! A tabletop outbreak management simulation by EUPHA IDC a.o.
  • It’s about the future of decent work. A global perspective on social protections and refocusing on worker well-being by EUPHA SSWH
  • Migration, ethnicity, race and the COVID-19 pandemic: key perspectives on a global crisis by EUPHA MIG a.o.
  • Helping people to help themselves to better health- From theory to practice by EUPHA HP and others

More pre-conferences organized by partners:

  • Working with Indigenous People in Public Health Settings by WFPHA Indigenous Working Group
  • #LeadChange: A Digital Leadership Workshop for Public Health Professionals by WFPHA Global Health Equity
  • Toward Universal Health and ODS in Latin America by Alliance of Public Health Associations in the Americas

Satellite programme WCPH2020

WCPH2020 presents a (sponsored) statellite programme of exciting sessions on current topics. Seqirus, one of the world leaders in influenze vaccines, is organizing a symposium entitled ‘Protecting the most vulnerable against 2020-2021 influenza: the opening move’on Thursday 14 October, 13:15-14:15 CET.

The 2020/21 influenza season is expected to be exceptional, as influenza virus will co-circulate with the SARS-CoV-19. In this session different stakeholders are invited to discuss the most appropriate innovative tactics to minimize the burden of both influenza and COVID-19 from a global perspective. Programme and speakers:

The 2020/21 influenza season begins. What should we expect from the increased vaccine demand? By Caterina Rizzo, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome (Italy)

Beyond the “one-size-fits-all” approach: a right vaccine to a right patient  by Paolo Bonanni, University of Florence (Italy)

Why to invest in preventive healthcare? The role of HTA in guiding effective influenza vaccination policies by Chiara de Waure, University of Perugia (Italy)

Congress track on Covid-19
As the world confronts the coronavirus, the sharing of knowledge becomes ever more important, and the WCPH is the place to do it. A dedicated Covid-19 track will be featured, covering the latest on control measures, the impact on health systems and the lessons to be learned from it. With contributions from WHO, Brazil, China, USA, Canada and many European countries. Read more.
 
Programme online
The full programme of WCPH2020, including the parallel programme of workshops, oral presentations and posters is online. If you want to access the online programme you have to use your EUPHA/EPH Conference account details. If you do not have an account with EUPHA/EPH Conference, you have to create one here
 
Plenary speakers update
We are excited to announce the following speakers:

  • Precious Matsoso, former Director National Health Services, South Africa
  • Clayton Hamilton, World Health Organization

GET CONNECTED TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE; GET CONNECTED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

https://wcph2020.com/index.php

European Public Health Conference, Marseille 2019

The recordings of the plenary sessions at the 2th European Public Health Conference, held November 2019, are now available at the conference's YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist

4. EUPHA members update

Members' annual conferences

This year's Swiss Public Health Conference will take place 2 and 3 September, online. The theme is: From Evidence to Public Health Policy and Practice.

The Bulgarian Public Health Association main annual event will be held 17-19 September 2020 in Pleven. Theme: New methods in public health and health policy.

UK's Society for Social Medicine & Population Health 64th Annual Scientific meeting will be held 9-11 September 2020 as a virtual conference.

5. European Journal of Public Health

Volume 30, Issue 4, August 2020

EDITORIALS
Re-thinking health inequalities
Johan P Mackenbach
The corona crisis and the need for public health foresight studies

Bo Burström, Wenjing Tao
 
VIEWPOINTS
Is lack of causal evidence linking socioeconomic position with health an ‘inconvenient truth’?
Olle Lundberg
What should we think about widening relative inequalities in health?
Alastair H. Leyland
Health inequalities: the role of work and employment
Johannes Siegrist
Economic and social context needs to be taken into account
Ramune Kalediene
Re-thinking health inequalities is necessary
Johan P Mackenbach
EU health law and policy in and after the COVID-19 crisis
Scott Greer, Anniek de Ruijter
Will COVID-19 lead to a major change of the EU Public Health mandate? A renewed approach to EU’s role is needed
Timo Clemens, Helmut Brand
The EU and the social determinants of health in a post-COVID world
Aaron Reeves
Is the COVID-19 pandemic turning into a European food crisis?
Veronica Toffolutti, David Stuckler, Martin McKee
 
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
The relationship between physical activity and out-of-pocket health care costs of the elderly in Europe
Sören Dallmeyer, Pamela Wicker, Christoph Breuer
Why do people not switch insurer in a market-based health insurance market? Empirical evidence from the Netherlands
Wouter van der Schors, Anne E M Brabers, Judith D de Jong
Janneke W Duijster, Simone D A Doreleijers, Eva Pilot, Wim van der Hoek, Geert Jan Kommer, Marianne A B van der Sande, Thomas Krafft, Liselotte C H I van Asten
How can we monitor the impact of national health information systems? Results from a scoping review
Marie Delnord, F Tille, L A Abboud, D Ivankovic, H Van Oyen

HEALTH POLICY
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Bringing the commercial determinants of health out of the shadows: a review of how the commercial determinants are represented in conceptual frameworks
Nason Maani, Jeff Collin, Sharon Friel, Anna B Gilmore, Jim McCambridge, Lindsay Robertson, Mark P Petticrew
The impact of social prescribing services on service users: a systematic review of the evidence
Julia V Pescheny, Gurch Randhawa, Yannis Pappas
Do parties make a difference? A review of partisan effects on health and the welfare state
 
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH
Change in prevalence of self-harm from 2002 to 2018 among Norwegian adolescents
Anita J Tørmoen, Martin Myhre, Fredrik A Walby, Berit Grøholt, Ingeborg Rossow
Child health research and planning in Europe disadvantaged by major gaps and disparities in published statistics
Michael J Rigby, Shalmali Deshpande, Mitch E Blair
Factors associated with the uptake of the UK routine childhood immunization schedule in a bi-ethnic population
Gillian Santorelli, Jane West, Dan Mason, Chris Cartwright, Leena Inamdar, Caroline Tomes, John Wright
Understanding rapid infant weight gain prevention: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence
Torill A Rotevatn, G J Melendez-Torres, Charlotte Overgaard, Kimberly Peven, Jane Hyldgaard Nilsen, Henrik Bøggild, Anna Marie Balling Høstgaard
Engaging adolescents in developing health education interventions: a multidisciplinary pilot project
Irene Psaroudakis, Filippo Quattrone, Lara Tavoschi, Erica De Vita, Silvia Cervia, Rita Biancheri, Pietro Luigi Lopalco
 
AGING AND HEALTH
The dynamics of frailty and change in socio-economic conditions: evidence for the 65+ in Europe
Nicolas Sirven, Magali Dumontet, Thomas Rapp
Quality of collaboration and information handovers in palliative care: a survey study on the perspectives of nurses in the Southwest Region of the Netherlands
Marijanne Engel, Andrée van der Ark, Rosanne Tamerus, Agnes van der Heide

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Caesarean delivery and the use of antidepressants
Anikó Bíró, Péter Elek
Sexual health services in community pharmacy for women on opioid substitution treatment: a qualitative study
Laura Medina-Perucha, Jenny Scott, Sarah Chapman, Julie Barnett, Charlotte Dack, Hannah Family
Infection-associated hospitalizations of women in labourKatarzyna Kopeć-Godlewska, Agnieszka Pac, Anna Różańska, Paweł Żbikowski, Jerzy Rosiński, Jadwiga Wojkowska-Mach
Association between place of delivery for pregnant mothers and neonatal mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Eshetu E Chaka, Mulugeta Mekurie, Ahmed Abdulahi Abdurahman, Mahboubeh Parsaeian, Reza Majdzadeh
The effects of continuity of care on the health of mother and child in the postnatal period: a systematic review
Florence D’haenens, Bart Van Rompaey, Eva Swinnen, Tinne Dilles, Katrien Beeckman
 
MENTAL HEALTH
The effect of the 2008 recession on well-being and employment status of people with and without mental health problems
Unnur Jónsdóttir, Edda Björk þórðardóttir, Thor Aspelund, þórarinn Jónmundsson, Kristjana Einarsdóttir
Inequalities in the economic consequences of depression and anxiety in Europe: a systematic scoping review
Anna Linder, Ulf-G. Gerdtham, Nadja Trygg, Sara Fritzell, Sanjib Saha
Prolonged mental health sequelae among doctors and nurses involved in patient safety incidents with formal complaints and lawsuits
Gerda Zeeman, Loes Schouten, Deborah Seys, Ellen Coeckelberghs, Philomeen Weijenborg, Luk Bruyneel, Kris Vanhaecht
 
MIGRATION
The perception of youth health centres’ friendliness: does it differ between immigrant and Swedish-Scandinavian youths?
Mazen Baroudi, Miguel San Sebastian, Anna-Karin Hurtig, Isabel Goicolea
Evidences supporting the inclusion of immigrants in the universal healthcare coverage
Albert Prats-Uribe, Sílvia Brugueras, Dolors Comet, Dolores Álamo-Junquera, LLuïsa Ortega Gutiérrez, Àngels Orcau, Joan A Caylà, Joan-Pau Millet
 
WORK AND HEALTH
High mortality in manual occupations and the role of alcohol in 2001–15
Giorgio Di Gessa, Laurie Corna, Debora Price, Karen Glaser
Relationships between informal caregiving, health and work in the Health and Employment After Fifty study, England 
E Clare Harris, Stefania D’Angelo, Holly E Syddall, Cathy Linaker, Cyrus Cooper, Karen Walker-Bone
Explanations for economic difficulties among old-age pensioners previously on disability pension
Anu Polvinen, Mikko Laaksonen, Juha Rantala, Liisa-Maria Palomäki, Susan Kuivalainen
 
ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
Priorities for improving chemicals management in the WHO European Region—stakeholders’ views
Joanne A Vincenten, Irina Zastenskaya, Peter Schröder-Bäck, Dorota Iwona Jarosinska
Wood dust exposure and risks of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a meta-analysis
Meng E, Jinzhu Yin, Wu Jin, Yiyang Mao, Qihong Wu, Jun Qiu
 
CHRONIC DISEASE
Diabetes as a risk factor for severe exacerbation and death in patients with COPD: a prospective cohort study
Maria T Castañ-Abad, Josep Montserrat-Capdevila, Pere Godoy, Josep R Marsal, Marta Ortega, Miquel Alsedà, Ferran Barbé
Prevalence of three lifestyle factors among Australian adults from 2004 to 2018: an age–period–cohort analysis
Yang Peng, Zhiqiang Wang
The financial burden of non-communicable diseases in the European Union: a systematic review
Désirée Vandenberghe, Johan Albrecht
Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as a reliable option for detecting diabetes among the urban poor population in Bangladesh
Chifa Chiang, Atsuko Aoyama, Md Khalequzzaman, Sohel R. Choudhury, Debatosh Paul, Shahrin E. Rayna, Fahmida A. Khan, Yoshihisa Hirakawa, Hiroyasu Iso, Hiroshi Yatsuya
 
EUROPEAN PUBLIC HEALTH NEWS
European Public Health News
Dineke Zeegers Paget, Iveta Nagyova, Alastair Leyland, Hans Henri P Kluge, Floris Barnhoorn

https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/issue/30...

6. Call for proposals, job opportunities

Tenure track assistant Professor or assistant Professor in health systems and services research

The University of Lausanne/Switzerland & Unisante, Institute for Primary Care and Public Health in Lausanne/Switzerland, more specific.ally the Department of epidemiology and health systems (80-100%)
Applications can be sent by 4 October 2020 to https://wwwfbm.unil.ch/releve/application/announce/list_all

https://eupha.org/repository/EUPHA_newsl...

Tenure track assistant Professor or associate Professor in health systems and services research within the Department of epidemiology and health systems

The Faculty of biology and medicine of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland invite applications for the position of
“Tenure track assistant Professor or associate Professor in health systems and services research within the Department of epidemiology and health systems”

https://eupha.org/repository/EUPHA_newsl...

COPERS survey - The University of Applied Sciences Emden / Leer 

The COVID-19 COPERS study is a longitudinal study investigating the effects the COVID-19 pandemic has on feelings, experiences and resilience of people living in Europe. Participation is currently possible in following languages: English, German, Bulgarian, Romanian and Serbian.
For taking the survey, please click here.

COCARE survey - The University of Applied Sciences Emden / Leer 

The COVID-19 COCare study is a longitudinal study investigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on resilience trajectories of people professionally caring for people 60+ in Europe. The survey is available in following languages: English, Croatian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Maltese and Serbian.
For taking the survey, please click here.

Tell your story: COVID-19 fake news

No community has felt the tide of fake news on social media as acutely as those fighting Covid-19 on the frontlines. Italo Lennon, an epidemiologist in Brazil has said Our biggest problem is fake news”. Digital Action wants to ensure the experience and concerns of the medical community are heard. Therefore, they have collaborated with organisations such as the Royal Society for Public Health to ensure individual medics have a space to share their story via a short survey. Digital Action would be interested in hearing if this project would be of interest to EUPHA members, and if you would be interested in collaborating with them to tackle Covid-19 fake news, including by filling in their survey and distributing it with your networks. If this is of interest or you would like more information, you can email survey@digitalaction.co

 

7. Interesting news

Race and Medicine

The NEJM selection of articles on race and medicine, with implications for improving patient care, professional training, research, and public health.

https://www.nejm.org/race-and-medicine

Questionnaire about Corona virus and its effects

The Mid Sweden University, together with other countries (e.g. England) have developed an anonymous questionnaire about Corona virus and its effects. The idea is to examine how people feel in various aspects in face of the pandemic. With the data we may be able to suggest som ways to deal with the pandemic. Please read the information and answer the questionnaire if you find it useful.

https://www.intcovid.com/

The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (NCCMT) updated Learning Centre

The National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools (NCCMT) is pleased to announce our recently updated Learning Centre. The Learning Centre houses the Online Skills Assessment, Online Learning Modules, and the 6S Search Pyramid. We have updated these resources with a fresh new look and select modules have also been updated with new practice articles and examples 
Over the past 10 years, we have provided public health professionals with trusted and valuable resources to enhance their evidence-informed decision making skills and are happy to continue providing this service. In this time of physical distancing, online learning provides an opportunity to build your skills and learn something new.
Explore the updated to access online learning opportunities and discover resources to support your professional development in evidence-informed decision making.

https://www.nccmt.ca/learning-centre

Young kids could spread COVID-19 as much as older children and adults, study suggests

Researchers have discovered that children younger than 5 years with mild to moderate COVID-19 have much higher levels of genetic material for the virus in the nose compared to older children and adults. The findings point to the possibility that the youngest children transmit the virus as much as other age groups.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...

How the pandemic might play out in 2021 and beyond

Nature | News feature | August 5, 2020
by Megan Scudellari
This coronavirus is here for the long haul — here’s what scientists predict for the next months and years. 

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-0...

Social distancing varies by income in United States

Wealthier communities went from being the most mobile before the COVID-19 pandemic to the least mobile, while poorer areas have gone from the least mobile to the most mobile, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...

How to protect yourself in the infodemic

Check the video and see how young people seize opportunities provided by an unprecedented access to information and digital technologies to communicate, share information and contribute to the COVID-19 response.

https://www.youtube.com/watch

8. Upcoming courses and conferences

Farewell Symposium for Ingrid Felger and Hans-Peter Beck: Molecular Biology, Epidemiology and Diagnostics of Malaria
1 Sep 2020 / Basel, Switzerland
Organiser: Swiss TPH

Virtual Island Summit: Sharing knowledge for resilient, sustainable and prosperous islands worldwide
6 Sep 2020 - 11 Sep 2020 / Online
Organiser: Organisations of Eastern Caribbean States

UNITE Global Summit: Securing political leadership to end infectious diseases
7 Sep 2020 - 8 Sep 2020 / Online event
Organiser: UNITE – Global Parliamentarians Network

5th International public mental health summer school 2020
21 Sep 2020 - 25 Sep 2020 / Porto, Portugal
Organiser: EUPHA Public mental health section and partners

Free webinar: Justice, solidarity and public’s health (registration open)

23 Sep 2020 / Online event
Organiser: UK Faculty of Public Health, EUPHA Section on Ethics in Public Health, EUPHA initiative on Public health and law

Multiple exposures and equity in environmental health - an integrated approach for sustainable development
7 Oct 2020 / Online event
Organiser: Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Creating Demand for Health: Effective Public Health Communications to induce behavioural change
13 Oct 2020 - 16 Oct 2020 / Online event
Organiser: Imperial College Business School

Pregnancy and programming and later risk of obesity and related disease
2 Nov 2020 - 6 Nov 2020 / Frederiksberg, Denmark
Organiser: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

Obesity: courses and consequences - the complex interplay between behavior, society, genes and the environment
9 Nov 2020 - 13 Nov 2020 / Frederiksberg, Denmark
Organiser: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

Health Management - Realigning Systems, Contexts and Players
17 Nov 2020 - 19 Nov 2020 / online
Organiser: EHMA

Winter Symposium 2020: From Manufacturer to Patient: Reshaping Healthcare Supply Chains
1 Dec 2020 / Parterre Rialto Basel, Switzerland
Organiser: Swiss TPH

The 10th International Conference on Children's Health and the Environment
1 Dec 2020 - 3 Dec 2020 / Amsterdam, Netherlands
Organiser: INCHES

1st Conference of the Swiss Implementation Science Network (IMPACT)
21 Jan 2021 - 22 Jan 2021 / Basel, Switzerland
Organiser: Swiss TPH

Health Care and Management (HCM): From Research to Implementation
8 Mar 2021 - 11 Jun 2021 / Basel, Switzerland
Organiser: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

10th Europaediatrics 2021
10 Jun 2021 - 12 Jun 2021 / Zagreb, Croatia
Organiser: EPA / UNEPSA with European Confederation of Primary Care Paediatricians

5th European Summer School in Evidence-Based Public Health
19 Jul 2021 - 23 Jul 2021 / Munich, Germany
Organiser: LMU Munich and University of Liverpool

16th Annual meeting and 11th conference of HEPA Europe (WHO/Europe network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity)
1 Sep 2021 - 3 Sep 2021 / Nice, France
Organiser: HEPA Europe

Global Health Literacy Summit
3 Oct 2021 - 5 Oct 2021 / International Health Literacy Association, E-DA Healthcare Group, I-Shou University
Organiser: Kaohsiung, Taiwan

9. Interesting publications

WHO Guidance for conducting a country COVID-19 intra-action review (IAR)

The WHO Guidance for Conducting a Country COVID-19 Intra-Action Review (IAR) was developed to guide countries to conduct periodic review(s) of their national and subnational COVID-19 response, so countries do not miss critical opportunities for learning and improvement to better respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in their countries. The IAR is a country-led facilitated process conducted during the COVID-19 outbreak in-country, bringing together a small group of COVID-19 responders with knowledge of the public health response pillars under review. Although IARs can be conducted online or face-to-face, the online format is recommended, especially if community transmission remains high in the country. The IAR will identify practical areas for immediate remediation and sustained improvement of the ongoing response. 

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/...

Child and adolescent health needs attention now, and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic

Danielle JansenSilja KosolaLourdes Cantarero ArevaloMargarida Gaspar de MatosKarin BoodeSonia Saxena & Julia Dratva

https://link.springer.com/article/10.100...

Digital tools against COVID-19: taxonomy, ethical challenges and navigation aid

The Lancet Digital Health |Health Policy| Volume 2, ISSUE 8, e425-e434, August 01, 2020
Authors: Urs Gasser, Marcello Ienca, James Scheibner, Joanna Sleigh, Effy Vayena

Data collection and processing via digital public health technologies are being promoted worldwide by governments and private companies as strategic remedies for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic and loosening lockdown measures. However, the ethical and legal boundaries of deploying digital tools for disease surveillance and control purposes are unclear, and a rapidly evolving debate has emerged globally around the promises and risks of mobilising digital tools for public health. To help scientists and policy makers to navigate technological and ethical uncertainty, we present a typology of the primary digital public health applications that are in use. These include proximity and contact tracing, symptom monitoring, quarantine control, and flow modelling. For each, we discuss context-specific risks, cross-sectional issues, and ethical concerns. Finally, recognising the need for practical guidance, we propose a navigation aid for policy makers and other decision makers for the ethical development and use of digital public health tools.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landi...

Implementation of health and health-related sustainable development goals: progress, challenges and opportunities - a systematic literature review

The BMJ Global Health | Original Research | August 26, 2020
Authors: Wafa Aftab, Fahad Javaid Siddiqui, Shagufta Perveen, Sameen Siddiqi, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/8/e002273

Changes in sedentary behaviour in European Union adults between 2002 and 2017

BMC Public Health | Research article | 26 August, 2020
Authors: A. López-Valenciano, X. Mayo, G. Liguori, R. J. Copeland, M. Lamb & A. Jimenez

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.co...

Final report EMRaDi project (Rare Diseases in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine)

The final report of the EMRaDi project (Rare Diseases in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine) is now available online. The final report includes a summary of the activities, results and specific recommendations for the different target groups (rare disease patients and their relatives, patient organisations, hospitals and healthcare providers, health insurance funds, policy makers). Furthermore, several fact sheets are published, including containing EMRaDi's three main recommendations for political authorities and institutional players.

https://www.emradi.eu/en/project-activit...

Child and adolescent health needs attention now, and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10...

Management of post-acute covid-19 in primary care

https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m302...

Achieving Person-Centred Health Systems: Evidence, Strategies and Challenges

The idea of person-centred health systems is widely advocated in political and policy declarations to better address health system challenges. A person-centred approach is promoted on political, ethical and instrumental grounds and believed to benefit service users, health professionals and the health system more broadly. There is continuing debate, however, about available and effective strategies to promote and implement ‘person-centred’ approaches.
This book brings together the world’s leading experts in the field to present the evidence base and analyse current challenges and issues. It examines ‘person-centredness’ from the different roles people take in health systems: as individual service users, care managers, taxpayers or active citizens. The evidence presented will provide invaluable policy advice to practitioners and policy-makers working on the design and implementation of person-centred health systems and will also be an excellent resource for academics and graduate students researching health systems in Europe.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/about-us/par...

Mental health, men and culture: how do sociocultural constructions of masculinities relate to men's mental health help-seeking behaviour in the WHO European Region?

Men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health issues and are much more likely to commit suicide. This scoping review examined recent evidence published in English and Russian on the role of socially constructed masculinity norms in men’s help-seeking behaviour for mental health issues. 

https://www.euro.who.int/en/publications...

What is the current alcohol labelling practice in the WHO European Region and what are barriers and facilitators to development and implementation of alcohol labelling policy?

The WHO European Region has the highest levels of alcohol consumption per capita in the world, yet alcohol labelling, a WHO-recommended practice that provides consumer information on the ingredients, nutritional values and harms of alcohol, is not mandatory. This report synthesizes evidence on alcohol labelling practices in the Region and aims to describe factors affecting implementation.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic...

10. European Commission news

European Commission Health Newsletter July 2020 - COVID-19 updates

Commission concludes talks to secure future coronavirus vaccine for Europeans
The European Commission concluded exploratory talks with a pharmaceutical company, Sanofi, to purchase a potential vaccine against COVID-19. The envisaged contract would provide for an option to purchase 300 million doses of the vaccine, on behalf of all EU Member States. Read more.
Coronavirus: Commission strengthens preparedness for future outbreaks
On 15 July, the Commission presented immediate short-term measures to strengthen EU health preparedness for COVID-19 outbreaks. In the current context where new outbreaks spread across the EU, the Communication insists on all necessary actions needed to enhance preparedness, including testing and contact tracing, improved public health surveillance and widened access to medical countermeasures. Read more.
European Commission authorises first treatment against COVID-19
On 29 July, the European Commission signed a contract with the pharmaceutical company Gilead to secure treatment doses of Veklury, the brand name for Remdesivir, which was the first medicine authorised at EU level for treatment of COVID-19. As from August, the medicine will be made available to Member States and the UK. Read more.
Commission strengthens support for treatment through convalescent plasma
The European Commission invited more than 200 blood-collection services around the EU to apply for funding for the purchase of plasmapheresis equipment which takes plasma from donors. The aim of this action, part of the Emergency Support Instrument (ESI), is to support the treatment of new COVID-19 patients by increasing EU capacity to collect convalescent plasma recovered from COVID-19 patients. Read more.
New EU framework to prepare and manage health threats discussed with Health Ministers
On 16 July Commissioner Kyriakides joined EU Health ministers at a videoconference to discuss topics such as the European Health Data Space and the supply of medicinal products in the EU. The Commissioner also stressed that the COVID-19 crisis showed the need for a stronger role for the ECDC and potentially for a new framework on cross-border threats: “We need a new framework at EU level to prepare and manage health threats. We need a stronger mandate to coordinate. This could involve new legislation or a revision of the current Decision on cross-border threats to health”. Read more.
Coronavirus: mobile tracing and warning apps one step closer
The European Commission adopted an Implementing Decision this month to support the establishment of a voluntary gateway service that facilitates the interoperability of contact tracing and warning apps. This decision will mean that citizens, in particular those traveling in the EU, will only need to install one app. Read more.

https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/sante/news...

Coronavirus: Commission concludes talks to secure future coronavirus vaccine for Europeans

The European Commission has concluded exploratory talks with a pharmaceutical company to purchase a potential vaccine against COVID-19. The envisaged contract with Sanofi-GSK* would provide for an option for all EU Member States to purchase the vaccine. It is envisaged that, once a vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19, the Commission would have a contractual framework in place for the purchase of 300 million doses, on behalf of all EU Member States. The Commission continues intensive discussions with other vaccine manufacturers.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...

European Commission authorises first treatment against COVID-19

On 29 July, the European Commission signed a contract with the pharmaceutical company Gilead to secure treatment doses of Veklury, the brand name for Remdesivir, which was the first medicine authorised at EU level for treatment of COVID-19.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...

Coronavirus: Commission approves funding for training of healthcare professionals in intensive care skills

On 18 August, the Commission signed a contract to make the funding of €2.5 million from the Emergency Support Instrument available for training of a multidisciplinary pool of healthcare professionals supporting and assisting Intensive Care Units (ICU) in times of need due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The training will provide intensive care medical skills to healthcare professionals not regularly working in ICUs. This will help increase the capacity of staff that could be deployed at a time when there is need for rapid, temporary and significant scale-up of ICU capacity.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...

Coronavirus: EU supports vaccine research with additional €100 million

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global partnership created in 2017 to develop vaccines to prevent future epidemics, has launched a call to support the rapid development and global manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines. The EU will co-fund the call with €100 million.

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2...

On 26 August, the first contract the European Commission has negotiated on behalf of the EU Member States with a pharmaceutical company entered into force following the formal signature between AstraZeneca and the Commission. The contract will allow the purchase of a vaccine against COVID-19 for all the Member States of the EU as well as the donation to lower and middle income countries or the re-direction to other European countries.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...

Coronavirus: the Commission signs first contract for vaccine

On 26 August, the first contract the European Commission has negotiated on behalf of the EU Member States with a pharmaceutical company entered into force following the formal signature between AstraZeneca and the Commission. The contract will allow the purchase of a vaccine against COVID-19 for all the Member States of the EU as well as the donation to lower and middle income countries or the re-direction to other European countries.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...

11. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news

Eurosurveillance - Volume 25, Issue 33, 20 August 2020

Outbreaks
Three infection clusters related with potential pre-symptomatic transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Shanghai, China, January to February 2020
Research
Do changes in STEC diagnostics mislead interpretation of disease surveillance data in Switzerland? Time trends in positivity, 2007 to 2016
Accounting for indirect protection in the benefit–risk ratio estimation of rotavirus vaccination in children under the age of 5 years, France, 2018 


https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content...

Eurosurveillance - Volume 25, Issue 31, 06 August 2020

Rapid communication
Age-specific SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality ratio and associated risk factors, Italy, February to April 2020
Repeated leftover serosurvey of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, Greece, March and April 2020
Epidemiology of measles during the COVID-19 pandemic, a description of the surveillance data, 29 EU/EEA countries and the United Kingdom, January to May 2020
Research
Marked reductions in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions for children and adolescents – a population-based study covering 83% of the paediatric population, Germany, 2010 to 2018

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content...

Eurosurveillance - Volume 25, Issue 32, 13 August 2020

Rapid communication
Duration of infectiousness and correlation with RT-PCR cycle threshold values in cases of COVID-19, England, January to May 2020
Geographical and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 clades in the WHO European Region, January to June 2020
Surveillance
West Nile virus in humans, Greece, 2018: the largest seasonal number of cases, 9 years after its emergence in the country
Miscellaneous
Updated rapid risk assessment from ECDC on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the EU/EEA and the UK: resurgence of cases
Job vacancies at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) 

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content...

Expression of concern for Euro Surveill. 2020;25(33)

"Regarding the article "Accounting for indirect protection in the benefit–risk ratio estimation of rotavirus vaccination in children under the age of 5 years, France, 2018" by Escolano et al, published on 20 August 2020, has been informed of a computational error that has occurred in the calculation of indirect benefit. The authors are in the process of recalculating the affected results.
While we await these results and the extent of the necessary corrections, the editors decided to publish an expression of concern for this article."

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content...

Eurosurveillance - Volume 25, Issue 34, 27 August 2020

Editorial
Timely monitoring of total mortality associated with COVID-19: informing public health and the public
Rapid communication
Excess all-cause mortality during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in France, March to May 2020
Surveillance
Eight-year trends in the relative isolation frequency and antimicrobial susceptibility among bloodstream isolates from Greek hospitals: data from the Greek Electronic System for the Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance – WHONET-Greece, 2010 to 2017
Letter
Letter to the editor: importance of a careful investigation to avoid attributing Legionnaires’ disease cases to an incorrect source of infection Authors’ response: importance of a careful investigation to avoid attributing Legionnaires’ disease cases to an incorrect source of infection
Erratum
Erratum for Euro Surveill. 2020;25(33)

https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content...

12. WHO news

Risk of #COVID19 resurgence is never far away, but now we know how to target the virus instead of targeting society

Statement to the press by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe
20  August 2020, Copenhagen, Denmark
Key messages:

  1. We are not back in February, we know how to target the virus instead of targeting society. We became smarter.
  2. To the younger members of society: spread fun, but do not spread the virus. Protect your parents and grandparents.
  3. When we open society, we have to opens schools.
https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic...

WHO/Europe to establish a mental health coalition to support system reforms and COVID-19 recovery

WHO/Europe’s new flagship initiative on mental health is launched. Mental health is a key public health concern in the WHO European Region – over 110 million people are living with some kind of mental health condition, accounting for over 10% of the population.
The 4 new flagships – mental health, digital health and innovation, behavioural and cultural insights, and immunization – represent identified priorities for WHO/Europe in the coming 5 years. The mental health flagship will bring together a broad coalition of mental health leaders, champions, service users and other partners to improve mental health policies and practices across the Region.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topic...

Announcing the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development: Rethinking Policy Priorities in the light of Pandemics

The WHO Regional Office for Europe is convening a Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development to rethink policy priorities in the light of pandemics.

https://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre...

This newsletter received co-funding under an operating grant from the European Union’s Health Programme (2014-2020). The content of this newsletter represents the views of the author(s) only and is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.

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