Newsletter - February 2025

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

1. Editorial

Embraching respect

EUPHA proudly introduces our Code of Conduct, a vital step in reinforcing the values of respect, fairness, and inclusivity across our community. Public health thrives on diverse perspectives and shared commitment. However, in a world where division can often dominate the discourse, it is more important than ever to treat one another with kindness and empathy.

Our Code of Conduct defines the standards of behavior expected from all who engage with EUPHA. It empowers us to cultivate a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment, ensuring that collaboration remains the foundation of our efforts. With clear mechanisms for reporting concerns and safeguarding confidentiality, the Code reflects our unwavering dedication to integrity and fairness.

To support this commitment, we have established an Advisory Committee including three independent Confidential Advisers and two permanent advisors with legal and ethical expertise. This structure ensures that any concerns can be addressed promptly and professionally while maintaining strict confidentiality.

The Code of Conduct is more than just a document – it's a reflection of who we are as a community. It embodies our core values of professionalism, accountability, kindness, representativeness, and respect. These principles guide not only our internal interactions but also how we represent EUPHA in the broader public health landscape.

Finally, thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts in our newsletter survey last month. Your insights will guide us in shaping a more valuable and engaging newsletter for the public health community. We look forward to implementing the feedback and continuing to improve together.

Warm regards,

Dr. Tit Albreht, EUPHA President
Charlotte Marchandise, Executive Director

2. EUPHA update

EUPHA is hiring a Conference and events manager

The EPH Conference Founcation is hiring a Conference and events manager (Utrecht, Netherlands 32-36 hours). 
The foundation is managed by the Executive Board (EB). In organising the conference, the Executive Board is assisted by the Local Support Committee (LSC), International Conference Council (ICC), the International Scientific Committee (ISC), and EPH Conference Office (EPH-CO).
In this senior position you are end-responsible for our flagship annual EPH conference. You ensure its continued success, growth and increasing impact. You also supervise all other EUPHA events and develop innovative event formats. In collaboration with the Science and Project Manager you ensure all events are scientifically rigorous, of high-quality, accredited when possible, and recognisable; your goal is to promote EUPHA’s mission of advancing public health and equity in Europe. 
Read the full job description here and here

Institute of Public Health at Riga Stradins University

EUPHA welcomes the Institute of Public Health at Riga Stradins University in Latvia as new Institutional member. We look forward to working together!
The Institute of Public Health, established in 2017, is dedicated to advancing public health through high-quality education, scientific research, and knowledge dissemination. Our mission is to generate science-based evidence and to train highly qualified specialists who contribute meaningfully to public health policy and practice. As Latvia’s leading public health research institute, we are committed to fostering collaboration and enhancing public health at both national and international levels. Our research covers the entire life course, from early development to old age, with a focus on: health promotion and disease prevention (infectious and non-infectious diseases), epidemiology and biostatistics, health communication and education, healthcare management and economics. For more information about our institute, please visit the website here. 

Midterm conference: Responding to challenges in health and care workforce: innovative research, policies and practices

March 20-21 2025, Budapest, Hungary

Organised by: EUPHA Health and care workforce section
Click here for more information and registration.

Institutionalising HIA in Europe for better supporting decision-making processes

June 3-4 2025, Madrid, Spain

Organised by: EUPHA Health impact assessment section
More information will follow

International Symposium: Society, Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention: Time for a Paradigm Shift

June 5-6 2025, Pozzilli, Isernia, Molise Region, Italy

Organised by: Neuromed, Federico II University, Naples, Italy, EUPHA Chronic diseases section, Western University Canada
Click here for more information.

1^st European Public Health Economics Conference 2025

26-27 June 2025, Palermo, Italy

We are delighted to inform you about the upcoming 1^st European Public Health Economics taking place in Palermo (Italy) on 26 and 27 June 2025, organised by the EUPHA Public health economics section and supported by the BEST-COST project, the Società Italiana d’Igiene, Medicina Preventiva e Sanità Pubblica (SiTi) and the Italian Health Economics Association (AIES). The conference will be dedicated to exploring the dynamics between our daily work and the international perspectives in Public Health Economics, focusing on how health economics concepts and methods can be applied to pressing global challenges, such as health equity and climate change. Click here for more information.

2nd World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health

2-5 September 2025, Lisbon, Portugal

Organised by: The Global Society on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health
Click here for more information.

Check out our Midterm Conferences and Summer schools page here.

Upcoming EUPHA Webinars

Check out all webinars here.

From convenience to crisis: understanding the public health risks of ultra-processed foods
March 6, 2025 / 15:00-16:00 CET

Organised by: EUPHA-FN
Speaker: Prof Carlos A. Monteiro, MD, PhD
Moderators: Dr. Marialaura Bonaccio PhD and Prof. Giuseppe Grosso MD, PhD

Professor Monteiro’s lecture will define the ultra-processed dietary pattern, examine the available evidence linking this pattern to the obesity pandemic, and consider policy implications.

Click here to register

Rehabilitation - the health strategy to deal with chronic diseases
March 20, 2025 / 16:00-17:00 CET

Organised by: EUPHA-CHR
Speaker: Roxanne Maritz, University of Lucerne, WHO CC for Rehabilitation in global Health Systems

Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders are among the leading causes of morbidity and disability worldwide. The Astana Declaration emphasizes the need for an integrated health approach that includes rehabilitation alongside prevention, treatment, and palliative care. Since chronic conditions often result in long-term impairments, rehabilitation is essential in supporting individuals to maintain independence, participate in society, and reduce long-term healthcare costs.

The WHO Rehabilitation 2030 initiative aligns with the Astana Declaration’s objectives by advocating for the systematic integration of rehabilitation into health systems as a response to the increasing burden of chronic diseases and aging populations. With over 2.4 billion people worldwide in need of rehabilitation, chronic diseases are a significant driver of this demand. Recognizing rehabilitation as a core health strategy is crucial to ensuring a holistic, people-centered approach to managing chronic conditions effectively.

Click here to register.

Yogurt consumption is associated with poorer sleep outcomes cross-sectionally, but not long-term
April 24, 2025 / 16:00-17:00 CET

Organised by: EUPHA-CHR
Speaker: Emma Guyonnet, MPH - Epidemiology Candidate, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Click here to register.

Save the date: European Public Health Week 2025

Mark your calendars! The seventh European Public Health Week (EUPHW) will take place from 12 to 16 May 2025, focusing on the theme "Innovation for Resilience: Shaping a Sustainable Future."

Join public health professionals, policymakers, students, and citizens from across Europe in exploring how innovation can strengthen public health systems and promote sustainability in a rapidly evolving world.

The week kicks off on 12 May with an in-person and virtual event in Brussels, featuring dynamic sessions, engaging discussions, and a Hackathon on Co-Designing a Public Health Innovation Lab.

Stay tuned for daily themes, partner events, and ways to get involved!

3. European Public Health Conference

18TH EUROPEAN PUBLIC HEALTH CONFERENCE, 11–14 NOVEMBER 2025
INVESTING FOR SUSTAINABLE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Call for abstracts: 18th EPH Conference

Abstract submission for the 18th European Public Health Conference is open from 1 February to 1 May 2025 (18:00 CET). Submit your work for workshops, oral presentations, pitch presentations, or ePosters. All sessions will be 60 minutes. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your hard work, learn from others, and share your knowledge. More information here

Abstract tutoring programme

EPH Conference and EUPHAnxt offer an Abstract Tutoring Programme to support young and less experienced researchers. This programme provides feedback from experienced reviewers, especially for those with limited access to guidance on abstract writing. Learn more here

Conference theme and programme

The 18^th EPH Conference will take place in Helsinki, Finland, from 11–14 November 2025. Pre-conferences are scheduled for Tuesday, 11 November, followed by the main conference from 12–14 November. The theme for 2025 is: "Investing for Sustainable Health and Well-Being." Explore the theme here

Registration opens 1 April 2025

Registration for the 18^th EPH Conference begins on 1 April 2025. Stay tuned for the announcement of registration fees on our website.

Beware of fraudulent conference website

We have been made aware of a fraudulent website falsely claiming to organize a public health conference under our name. The website advertises an event with different dates and locations, but it is in no way associated with the European Public Health Conference or EUPHA.

We urge our community to remain vigilant and only refer to the official EPH Conference website for accurate information. If you receive any suspicious communication or have concerns, please contact the conference team directly via the website.

4. European Journal of Public Health

Volume 35, Issue 1, February 2025

Editorials
What are the health priorities of the new European Commission? 
Hanna Tolonen
Public Health, One Health, and Planetary Health: what is next? 
Francisco Olea-Popelka and others

Health Services Research
Developing a nationwide registry of UK veterans seeking help from sector charities—a machine learning approach to stratification 
Giuseppe Serra and others
Access points to different levels of health care over 13 years. Utilization behaviour in a changing health care system. Results of a three-wave cross-sectional series in Austria 
Roland Kraxner and others
Could digital twins be the next revolution in healthcare? 
Leonardo de Oliveira El-Warrak and Claudio Miceli de Farias
Relationship between symptoms, sociodemographic factors, and general practice help-seeking in 10 904 adults aged 50 and over 
Rosalind Adam and others
Telemedicine in cancer care: lessons from COVID-19 and solutions for Europe 
Anita Gottlob and others

Health Policy
How is health equity considered in policy evaluations employing quasi-experimental methods? A scoping review and content analysis 
Kerstin Sell and others
Alcohol-attributed disease burden and formal alcohol policies in the Nordic countries (1990–2019): an analysis using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 
Lode van der Velde and others

Mental Health
The spatial overlap between risk of intimate partner violence against women and suicide-related emergency calls 
María Montagud-Andrés and others
The contribution of common mental disorders and alcohol-related morbidity to educational differences in early labour market exit among older workers: a register-based cohort study 
Emma Carlsson and others
Preventing common mental health problems by increasing neighbourhood socioeconomic status: a mental health impact assessment in Rotterdam, the Netherlands 
Daina Kosīte and others

Work and Health
Effort–reward imbalance and burnout among German school leaders. Representative study findings and implications for an underserved occupational group 
Nele Groß and others
Association between job strain and working life expectancy: a longitudinal study of older people in Sweden 
Holendro Singh Chungkham and others
How to prevent 3 million deaths worldwide: a systematic review of occupational accident research—a factor- and cost-based approach 
Rosa María Cañaveras Perea and others

Tobacco
The association between tobacco use and COVID-19 diagnoses in three Nordic countries: a pooled analysis 
Ahmed Nabil Shaaban and others
The economic burden of smoking in Belgium: incremental healthcare costs and lost productivity 
Pieter Vynckier and others

Obesity, Physical Activity
Prospective relationship between family screen time rules, obesogenic behaviours, and childhood obesity 
Ladan Hashemi and others
Causal association of physical activity with lymphoma risk: a Mendelian randomization analysis 
Jin Zhao and others
Associations of step accelerations and cardiometabolic risk markers in early adulthood 
Ville Stenbäck and others
Physical activity partially mediates the association between health literacy and mild cognitive impairment in older adults: cross-sectional evidence from Switzerland 
Clément Meier and others

COVID-19
Remote workers’ life quality and stress during COVID-19: a systematic review 
Carraro Elisabetta and others
Lessons learned from Taiwan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic: successes, challenges, and implications for future pandemics 
Vivian Chia-Rong Hsieh and others
Impact of COVID-19 and related measures on the professional life of school staff based in Switzerland: challenges, strategies, and benefits 
Marta Fadda and others

Environment
Public health approaches to ‘Leave No One Behind’ in heatwave resilience: insights from the UK 
Ana Raquel Nunes
Evaluating the socioeconomic benefits of heat-health warning systems 
Shilpa Rao and others

Thank you to Reviewers
Thank you to reviewers 
Peter Allebeck and others

Abstracts
Antibiotic resistant E.coli in waterborne matrices nearby intensive farming: One Health Hub project 
M Tesauro and others

European Public Health News
Looking forward to 2025: EUPHA is here for U! 
Tit Albreht and others

5. Call for proposals, job opportunities

Ethics, values, and law for public health in a world of turmoil

A call for papers for an upcoming supplement from the Journal of Public health. Read more here.

Health Systems and Services Research Group at Amsterdam UMC now recruits 17 PhD candidates

The Health Systems and Services Research Group (led by Assoc. Prof. Dionne Kringos) at Amsterdam UMC announces that the Industrial Doctoral Network HealthIntelAct, launched on January 1, 2025, is now recruiting 17 PhD candidates. This Horizon Europe-funded initiative aims to train the next generation of researchers to build sustainable, inclusive, and high-performing health and care systems across Europe and beyond.
At the heart of HealthIntelAct is the development of Actionable Performance Intelligence—transforming health data into real-world insights to support data-driven decision-making. Our interdisciplinary research network will address urgent challenges such as health inequities, workforce shortages, environmental sustainability, and financial pressures in health and care systems.
We are collaborating with a diverse consortium of esteemed partners, including:

• Amsterdam UMC (Netherlands) – Health Systems and Services Research Group
• OptiMedis AG (Germany) – Research & Innovation
• North Denmark Region (Denmark) / Aalborg University – Psychiatry
• University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila" Bucharest (Romania) – Public Health and Management
• Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento S. Anna (Italy) – Institute of Management and Health Science
• Ministère de la Santé et de la Sécurité Sociale (Luxembourg) – Observatoire National de la Santé
• Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje (Slovenia) – The Center for Health Care

We are seeking highly motivated candidates to join our interdisciplinary research network. The program focuses on:

• People – Strengthening equity, workforce resilience, and patient-centered care
• Planet – Advancing environmentally sustainable health and care systems
• Prosperity – Improving financial and social sustainability of health and care systems

The application deadline is March 31, 2025. For detailed information and application instructions, please visit our website: HealthIntelAct.

6. Interesting news

EU4Health Civil Society Alliance, Including EUPHA, sounds the alarm on advocacy funding cuts and the erosion of civic space

New limitations on the EU LIFE programme set a worrying precedent for civil society engagement in policy-making, with potential consequences for health advocacy and the future of the EU4Health programme.
The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance shares concerns about restrictions on funding that CSOs focusing on environmental and climate action, and benefitting from grants under the EU LIFE programme, are facing. Such developments could significantly limit the activities of CSOs in the EU and create a highly concerning precedent. The Civil Society Alliance is also concerned about the impact and developments this could have for CSOs in other policy areas, including health. Indeed, as of today, health CSOs still do not have information on the operating grants provided under the EU4Health programme for 2025, as the EU4Health Work Programme still has not been presented.   The EU4Health Civil Society Alliance therefore calls for the EU to reconsider the limitations set on the LIFE programme, and for transparency and a clear timeline for the publication of the EU4Health 2025 Work Programme.
Click here for the EU4Health Civil Society Alliance statement.

Together with EUROCARE, EuroHealthNet and ASPHER, EUPHA officially launched the European Parliament Interest Group on Health Inequalities, Prevention and Risk Factors

Public health champions gathered on Tuesday, 18 February, to discuss how to keep the focus on health promotion and disease prevention during this EU mandate. This marked the official launch of the Interest Group on Health Inequalities, Prevention and Risk Factors. The event was well attended by Members of the European Parliament (MEP), representatives from Member States, including the Joint Action Prevent NCDs, the World Health Organization, and civil society.
Read the full report here.

EUPHA President Tit Albreht called for Public Health action on World Cancer day

On #WorldCancerDay, Tit Albreht reflected on the progress made and the challenges that remain. The EU’s Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP) has driven significant action, but there’s more to do – especially in prevention, early detection, and equitable access to care.
Watch the video here.

EUPHA's Executive Director, Charlotte Marchandise addressed concerns over the U.S. withdrawal from WHO

On 29 January 2025, Charlotte Marchandise urges European governments to uphold multilateralism, support WHO, and stand by science and public health.
Watch the video here.

7. Upcoming courses and conferences

8. Interesting publications

AI for Tobacco Control: Identifying Tobacco-promoting Social Media Content Using Large Language Models. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2024

Big Tobacco uses social media and influencers to bypass marketing restrictions. This study leverages advanced AI methods to tackle the pervasive issue of tobacco promotion on social media. Utilizing a large language model, the study enables the detection of tobacco promotion on social media at scale. The findings highlight AI's potential to enhance infoveillance, inform policy enforcement, and support health promotion strategies, offering a potential solution to this insidious public health challenge.
Read more here.

Postdocs and PhD students hit hard by Trump's crackdown on science

As US federal grants remain frozen and budget cuts loom, anxiety and fear grip early-career researchers.
Read more here.

Trump's siege of science: how the first 30 days unfolded and what's next

The breakneck pace and devastating impact of the administration’s policy changes has shocked researchers. 
Read more here.

Addressing environment-related risks in the EU's crisis management: From greening to foresight and preparedness

The EU must integrate environmental risks into crisis management to enhance resilience and preparedness within its security and defense policy.
Read more here.

The EU and NATO in pursuit of better deterrence

To deter undersea infrastructure attacks in the Baltic, the EU must enhance surveillance, establish common protocols, and leverage regulatory and economic tools against state and non-state actors.
Read more here.

WIR 2.0. Migration and Participation

WIR2.0 aims to foster inclusive participation in Hannover by recognizing migration as a societal constant, ensuring anti-discrimination, and creating a framework where everyone, regardless of background, can thrive and contribute.
Read more here.

GENDER EQUALITY INDEX 2024 Tackling violence against women, tackling gender inequalities

Highlights growing challenges—climate change, geopolitical tensions, digitalization, and extremism—while emphasizing that gender-based violence remains a critical and unacceptable inequality, requiring urgent legal, policy, and societal action across the EU.  
Read more here.

Europe for everyone, by everyone

An agenda for change for the European Committee of the Regions. Achievements 2022 - 2025 Under the Presidency of Vasco Alves Cordeiro.
Read more here.

Unlocking the full potential of behavioural insights for policy

This report examines the transformative role of behavioural insights (BI) in EU policymaking, advocating for integrating BI early in the policy cycle to enhance policy effectiveness. 
Read more here.

Nanoengineering of radioactive seeds for cancer therapy and diagnosis

An innovative new technology avoids potential harm from leakage of radionuclides into organs
Read more here.

On the evaluation of quality of life in Chania Crete, Greece

EU-backed studies evaluate the quality of life in a Greek city and adopt a health-relevant approach for assessing urban green spaces. 
Read more here.

Stop Adverse Fluid Events in Infusion: weak-link tube connection and air removal devices for safer, more accurate and cost-effective IV therapy in hospital and at home

Complications of intravenous therapy are set to become a thing of the past with innovative solutions that enhance patient and healthcare worker safety.
Read more here.

9. European Institutions’ news

Council

19 February 2025: Antonio Costa Speech at CoR: “We need local and regional governments – we need the trust you can build from the bottom to the top – for our unity and cohesion. For our ability to deliver. To deliver on Europe’s defence and security. On Europe’s prosperity. On Europe’s democratic renewal.” Read/Watch full speech here

Parliament

18 February 2025: Our Interest Group (IG) Health Inequalities, Prevention, and Risk Factors Interest Group was officially launched on 18 February 2025, we have elected our co-chairs: MEP Andriukaitis (S&D), MEP Veryga (ECR), MEP Ripa (EPP), MEP Voiculescu (Renew), MEP Marino (Greens/EFA) and MEP Dostal (NI).

Next steps: we are finalizing the Declaration creating the IG. Then we will plan our short- mid- long- terms activities.

20 February 2025: EU Socialists Strategy to fight the far right was leaked by Politico, read the full document here.

NGOs under attack: Right-wing MEPs want restrictions on NGOs’ use of EU funds for lobbying. Read about it here and here

We are launching the EUPHW in the European Parliament on May 12^th at 6:30.

European Commission

11 February 2025: The Working Program of 2025 was released, read it here. As you will see health does not have its own category.

The three main axes are:

• The Competitiveness Compass (the name is reminiscent of the Strategic Compass introduced in 2020, followed by the Digital Compass in 2021), based on the Draghi Report.
• The Simplification Omnibus Package based on the Letta report
• The Security/Preparedness axe based on the Niinistö report

17 February 2025: Still no news of the Operating Grant. Many NGO’s are considering closing shop. EUPHA together with the EU4Health CSA released an open Letter to draw attention to it.

Committee of Regions

20 February 2025: The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) officially began its 2025-2030 mandate with the election of new leadership, including the president, vice-president, and chairs of its policy commissions, who will serve until mid-2027.

• New President: Kata Tüttő(HU/PES), member of Budapest city council
• New 1^st Vice-President: Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla(ES/EPP), president of the region of Andalusia

Other Developments

20 February 2025: FDA staffers report Trumps administration bans “trigger words” in federal grant writing, such as “woman” and “disabled”. Read the full list here. Much of this elimination of language is based on Executive Order 14151, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing”.

23 February 2025: The CDU won German elections, likely forming a coalition with the SPD, while the AfD surged to second place with record numbers 20.8%. This shifts Brussels politics toward stronger EU defense autonomy.

24 February 2025: Trumps position towards the EU combined to growing far right movement and the threat of a Russian attack within 5 years, pushes the EU to reconsider NATO.

10. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news

Read the latest EuroSurveillance issues here.

11. WHO news

For the latest news from WHO Europe please visit their website. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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