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The European Public Health Association Newsletter – April 2018 |
1. Editorial
Welcome to our April newsletter, including information from EUPHA, EUPHA members, European Commission, ECDC and WHO. We hope the information is useful to further your work.
EUPHA has been active this month in advocacy and policy briefs, including an update on the Sustainable Development Goals’ health impact in Europe (the Sustainable Health Goals) and our members’ views on the future issues in public health in Europe.
To be in line with the new privacy rules in the European Union, EUPHA has set up privacy rules: https://eupha.org/privacy-policy. If you wish to continue receiving our newsletter, no action is required. If you wish to discontinue, please go to our newsletter subscription service: https://eupha.org/newsletter_subscription.php.
If you have any information to add to the newsletter, please send the information to EUPHA office.
Wishing you pleasant reading,
Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, EUPHA president, and Dineke Zeegers Paget, EUPHA executive director
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2. EUPHA update
EUPHA Statement on the Sustainable Health Goals in the European region
Some 2,5 years after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, we wonder how Europe and European countries are doing. We raise the question – how is Europe progressing towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goals – or even better – how is Europe progressing towards what we might call the Sustainable Health Goals? Read our findings in the EUPHA statement on the Sustainable Health Goals in the European region. British American Tobacco replies
In March 2018 we wrote to British American Tobacco and Philip Morris, following court orders in the USA requiring them to issue corrective statements to inform the American public about how these companies had misled them for decades. BAT has now replied, rejecting our request. We publish its letter here. We make observations:
Statement of EUPHA President at WHO high-level meeting ‘Health Systems Respond to NCDs: Experience in the European Region’
On 16 April 2018 the EUPHA president, Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, presented a statement at the high-level meeting of the World Health Organisation European Region ‘Health Systems Respond to NCDs: Experience of the European Region’, in Sitges Spain. At the plenary session ‘towards people-centred integrated services’ she talked about how we implement strategies to accelerate making health services more people centred and which challenges need to be overcome. Read her speech here.
Join the TO-REACH online consultation
What do you consider the most important priorities in European health research? Please provide your opinion.
A short overview of the results of the EUPHA members’ questionnaire on threats to public health
A short overview of the results of the EUPHA members’ questionnaire of October 2016 are now available on this website. Members of the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) were asked what they believe the major public health threats in Europe in the next decade will be. They were invited to identify the main public health issues that, in their opinion, could pose a threat to children and young persons (0-19 years), adults (20-60 years), and the elderly (60+ years). This allowed EUPHA to gain a better insight into future public health issues allowing us to advocate for a more effective and well-founded (re)distribution of resources for primary and secondary prevention. The results also clearly emphasize the importance of a European approach to public health, as many – if not all – of the listed threats can be targeted through supranational policy measures, exchange of good practices and sharing of knowledge of evidence-informed interventions.
EUPHA is proud to be a co-signer of the EU4Health statement prepared for the informal EPSCO of Health Ministers in the European Union
The vision for health in the EUropean Union: We believe that a Europe where all people are as healthy as they can be throughout their lives is possible. A Europe that promotes well-being for all people of all ages, and where people can live, work and age in sustainable and healthy environments. A Europe that supports timely access to affordable, high quality healthcare for all.
Our common asks from the European Commission: The Lisbon Strategy includes a target of adding two healthy life years on average across the EU by 2020 – a target that still needs to be met. We need strong political leadership from the European Commission to achieve this goal. This requires a Commission Vice-President and a Directorate General dedicated to health,to ensure that health protection and promotion is guaranteed across all European Commission portfolios. Strong leadership on health will resonate with European citizens1 and bring the EU closer to them, restoring people’s trust in the EU institutions. The Lisbon Strategy includes a target of adding two healthy life years on average across the EU by 2020 – a target that still needs to be met. We need strong political leadership from the European Commission to achieve this goal. This requires a Commission Vice-President and a Directorate General dedicated to health, to ensure that health protection and promotion is guaranteed across all European Commission portfolios. Strong leadership on health will resonate with European citizens1 and bring the EU closer to them, restoring people’s trust in the EU institutions.
Please click here for the statement.
1st World Congress on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health – Abstract Supplement
This abstract supplement to the European Journal of Public Health is now available online. |
3. European Public Health Conference
One more day to submit your abstracts for Ljubljana 2018
The deadline for abstract and workshop submission for Ljubljana 2018 is close, very close. The online submission system will close on 1 May at 12:00 CET.
If you are still interested in submitting your work to this prestigious conference, do it today!
https://ephconference.eu/ljubljana-2018-...
New Staff at EUPHA and EPH Conference Officer
We welcome Robert Klarecki who started working for EUPHA and EPH Conference in February 2018. Some of you might have met him during the EPH Conference at Lodz, Poland, for which he was the Conference Manager on behalf of the Polish Local Organizing Committee.
With his background in international relations he received his PhD in political science at the University of Warsaw. He worked in private and public sector where he dealt with different EU projects. Most of his career was connected with organizing meetings, workshops, seminars and conferences, including the 42nd Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX2005), 2nd Joint European Public Health Conference (EPH 2009), 16th European Health Forum Gastein, conferences of the Polish Society of Occupational Medicine, workshops and conferences of the EU Network of Excellence Environmental Cancer Risk, Nutrition and Individual Susceptibility, and many, many others.
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4. EUPHA members update
NPHF: one more step towards the ‘subscription for health’
In order to push forward the so-called ‘vitality contract’, intended to offer concrete steps for a healthier lifestyle for a minimum contribution by the individual, the director of the Netherlands Public Health Federation (NPHF), Thomas Plochg, is offering health care insurers another option for economic gain. The NPHF has been pushing the concept ‘from care to health promotion’ to further a positive view on health. For more information, please visit the website of the NPHF.
ASPHER: The 1st Andrija Stampar Summer school
Our European partner, ASPHER, is organising the 1st Andrija Stampar Summer school from 12-24 August in Ashkelon, Israel. The theme of the summer school is: The new public health: principles and practices.
Fee including lectures, mentoring, material, accommodation and site visits: $3000
To register or request more information, please email Mr Fèlix Ruiz Cabré at [email protected]
EUPHA co-signes the UK Faculty of Public Health’s report on the ‘Do No Harm’ amendment
EUPHA is a co-signatory of the Report stage briefing on Brexit, set up by the UK Faculty of Public Health. The UK Faculty of Public Health has proposed a ‘Do No Harm’ amendment to the Report on the EU (withdrawal) Bill, as they want to ensure that the UK continues to be bound by article 169 of the Lisbon Treaty, which reads “a high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all EU policies”. The ‘Do No Harm’ amendment has been signed by over 40 national organisations and two European organisations. ´The health of the public must remain of paramount importance to this and all future governments – maintaining and improving the public’s health, alongside protecting our nation and our economy must surely be the most important duties of any government.´ This Bill is where our constitutional stability and legal certainty will be determined. By voting in favour of the ‘Do No Harm’ amendment Peers have the opportunity to put the protection of the public’s health clearly at the heart of this and all future good governments. The ‘Do No Harm’ amendment would also be a fitting way to celebrate the NHS in its 70th year. For the statement, please click here.
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5. European Journal of Public Health
The European Journal of Public Health is a multidisciplinary journal in the field of public health.
The EJPH is published bimonthly. The journal provides a forum for discussion and debate of current international public health issues with a focus on the European region. In 2017, the impact factor of the journal is at 2.431. The 5-year impact factor is 2.664.
The EJPH is the official journal of EUPHA.
Risk factors for persisting measles susceptibility: a case-control study among unvaccinated orthodox Protestants
European Journal of Public Health, cky072, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky072
Published: 30 April 2018
Emotional salience of the image component facilitates recall of the text of cigarette warning labels
European Journal of Public Health, cky059, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky059
Published: 26 April 2018
Who wants to cross borders in the EU for healthcare? An analysis of the Eurobarometer data in 2007 and 2014
European Journal of Public Health, cky071, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky071
Published: 25 April 2018
Alcohol industry corporate social responsibility initiatives and harmful drinking: a systematic review
European Journal of Public Health, cky065, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky065
Published: 25 April 2018
Burden of disease studies in the WHO European Region–a mapping exercise
European Journal of Public Health, cky060, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cky060
Published: 25 April 2018
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6. Call for proposals, job opportunities
Public Health Panorama calls for the submission of papers for a themed issue on primary health care: principles in practice towards universal health coverage
Public Health Panorama calls for the submission of papers for a themed issue on primary health care: principles in practice towards universal health coverage. It will be published in December 2018 following the 40th anniversary of the Declaration of Alma-Ata, which will be celebrated with week-long events culminating in an anniversary conference on 25–26 October in Kazakhstan. Deadline for submissions 20-06-2018.
Noncommunicable diseases: a call for papers
The Bulletin of the World Health Organization will publish a theme issue on noncommunicable diseases. The deadline for submission is 15 July 2018.
Special issue on advanced diagnostics to inform public health policy – deadline extended to 13 May 2018
Eurosurveillance invites authors to submit papers in the categories, Research articles, Surveillance and Outbreak reports, Reviews and Perspectives for a special issue on advanced diagnostics to inform public health policy. The submission deadline has been extended to 13 May 2018.
European Health Award 2018
The European Health Forum Gastein is welcoming applications for the European Health Award. Applications for the Award will close on Monday, 28th May 2018.
Financial support is available to local level civil society groups
As part of the project Make Europe Sustainable for All, financial support is available to local level civil society groups campaigning on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Call for tender concerning the EU dimension to prevent alcohol related harm open through 25 May 2018
The Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency call is to follow up on the Standardised European Alcohol Survey to support the Member States’ capacity building in the area of alcohol policy and to prepare a pilot implementation of alcohol brief interventions. |
7. Interesting news
Conclusions from the conference “Healthy Future for Europe: Healthy Nutrition for Children” , a part of the calendar within the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU (6 February 2018, Sofia)
On February 6, 2018 a conference under the title “Healthy Future for Europe: Healthy Nutrition in Children“, a part of the calendar within the Bulgarian Presidency was held in the National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria. In the link you can read the conclusions of this conference.
How’s the air in London? ‘We should be worried’
Toxic air in London has been at illegal levels since 2010, and for a brief period last year, air pollution here was worse than Beijing’s, according to statistics published by the London mayor’s office.
How do you get teens to stop cellphone use while driving? Survey says, show them the money
Teens who admit to texting while driving may be convinced to reduce risky cellphone use behind the wheel when presented with financial incentives such as auto-insurance apps that monitor driving behavior, according to a new survey. However, while more than 90 percent of teens surveyed said they were willing to give up sending or reading text messages, almost half indicated that they would want to retain some control over phone functions such as music and navigation.
Ebola media coverage impacted how the public perceived the disease and survivors
In 2014, the United States saw fatal cases of Ebola for the first time. The disease had been mostly contained to West Africa, and U.S. media coverage of the disease in the past had been limited. Now, researchers have found that news coverage of Ebola during the time it was in the U.S. focused on telling individual stories to humanize those affected. Based on these findings, the researchers suggest that reporters covering health crises might have a greater positive impact on their audiences if they write human interest stories that share helpful information.
Saving lives: Swapping cars for shared bicycles
The 12 largest bicycle sharing systems in European cities offer health and economic benefits. Currently, the use of shared bicycles by people who previously used their cars avoids 5 deaths and saves 18 million euros per year in those cities. If all public bicycle trips were made by previous car users, 73 deaths and 226 million euros would be saved every year in the 12 cities. These are the conclusions of a new study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by the “la Caixa” Foundation.
Invitation: International Festival of Public Health
The International Festival of Public Health, hosted by the EUPHA Section on Urban Public Health, is back for a 7th year. This conference attracts approximately 400 national and international delegates each year. It is a mixture of civil society, patient groups, voluntary organisations, local authority, NHS, community sector and academics. We wanted this to be a space where we can get lively conversations on the relevant topics of the day from many different viewpoints.
BMJ: Editor’s choice: Better care for patients with cancer
Fiona Godlee, The BMJ
People living near fast food outlets more likely to develop heart disease, study shows
BMJ 2018361 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k1800 (Published 24 April 2018)Cite this as: BMJ 2018;361:k1800
People living in urban areas with one or more fast food outlets within 1 km of their home are significantly more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) than those living in areas with no fast food outlets, a nationwide study in the Netherlands has reported.1
The availability of fast food—which generally consists of processed meat and refined carbohydrates and is high in salt, saturated fat, and calories—has increased dramatically in European countries over the past few years. Previous studies looking at links between the density of fast food outlets and heart disease have shown mixed results but …
https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k180…
EuroHealthNet: Video on EU action on health #EU4Health
EuroHealthNet has produced a short video on the need for EU action on health which covers the links between health, economic development, and social cohesion. We hope it will be a useful resource to raise awareness of both the campaign and the issues. There are two versions: One long (2 mins) and one short (1.34 mins). Both include the #EU4Health hashtag. Please do watch and share!
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8. Upcoming courses and conferences
Going International is the first source for finding courses, seminars, congresses and other events in the fields of medicine & health. Going International is Europe’s biggest service provider and information platform and serves as an interface between organisers and participants of events. Going International is an official partner of EUPHA.
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9. Interesting publications
2018 must be the year for action against NCDs
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance…
Health care-seeking patterns for female genital mutilation/cutting among young Somalis in Norway
Equity impacts of price policies to promote healthy behaviours
Overweight adolescents’ views on physical activity – experiences of participants in an internet-based intervention: a qualitative study
A cost-effectiveness analysis of a community based CVD program in Sweden based on a retrospective register cohort
Prevention of vaccine-matched and mismatched influenza in children aged 6-35 months: a multinational randomised trial across five influenza seasons
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanch...
The silent burden of stigmatisation: a qualitative study among Dutch people with a low socioeconomic position
Responses to textual and pictorial cigarette pack health warnings: findings from an exploratory cross-sectional survey study in Austria
Employment stability and mental health in Spain: towards understanding the influence of gender and partner/marital status
The association between balance and free-living physical activity in an older community-dwelling adult population: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Taxes for health: evidence clears the air
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance..
Severity and susceptibility: measuring the perceived effectiveness and believability of tobacco health warnings
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.co…
Physical activity, sedentary time and sleep duration: associations with body composition in 10-12-year-old Estonian schoolchildren
Smoking among immigrant groups in metropolitan France: prevalence levels, male-to-female ratios and educational gradients
Investing in non-communicable diseases: an estimation of the return on investment for prevention and treatment services
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance…
Year-round effects of a four-week randomized controlled trial using different types of feedback on employees’ physical activity
Action to address the household economic burden of non-communicable diseases
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance…
An observational study of immigrant mortality differences in Norway by reason for migration, length of stay and characteristics of sending countries
Parents’ perspectives of change in child physical activity & screen-viewing between Y1 (5-6) & Y4 (8-9) of primary school: implications for behaviour change
Causes of death among children aged 5-14 years in the WHO European Region: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
Indicators for evaluating European population health: a Delphi selection process
Textual health warning labels on snus (Swedish moist snuff): do they affect risk perception?
Mass media and risk factors for cancer: the under-representation of age
Legalized medical cannabis lowers opioid use, study finds
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20…
It’s time for a change of message, it’s time for #GunSafetyNow
http://http://www.thelancet.com/journals…
Addressing Social Determinants to Improve Patient Care and Promote Health Equity: An American College of Physicians Position PaperHealth Equity Report 2017 |
10. European Commission news
DG SANTE launched ‘Best Practice Portal’
The best practice portal on health promotion, diseases prevention and management of non-communicable diseases is online now. It brings together good practices collected in previous Health Programme actions in the different fields: nutrition, physical activity, mental health, health inequalities, reducing alcohol related harm and integrated care. It also allows submission of practices for evaluation to select the “best”. All practices assessed as “best” will be shared with the Member States’ Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases.
Helping young people say no to tobacco: Commission launches EU Health Award for NGOs
On 7 April, the European Commission launches the EU Health Award for NGOs 2018. This year, we aim to reward NGOs that contribute to the fight against tobacco, especially by stopping young people from taking up smoking and/or using other forms of tobacco.
Statement by Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis ahead of World Health Day 2018: ‘Universal Healthcare for all’
“Access to healthcare for all is one of the major achievements of post-Second World War Europe bringing to reality the idea that all human beings, rich or poor, should benefit from quality medical care without worry that their illness would bankrupt their family…”
Fight against cancer: Joint Action Kick-off Meeting, Luxembourg, 16-17 April, 2018
The kick-off meeting of the Joint Action on Innovative Partnership for Action against Cancer (IPPAC) took place 16-17 April in Luxembourg in the presence of the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis.
Steering Europe towards a healthier future by reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases
“Steering Europe towards a healthier future by reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases.” Deputy Director-General for Health and Food Safety Martin Seychell discusses the Steering Group he chairs on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases.
EU legislation makes Blood, Tissues and Cells safer, but needs to keep pace with developments, Public Consultation finds
The open public consultation evaluating the EU legal frameworks on blood, tissues and cells has found that that the majority of the respondents, who included both individual citizens and various groups, such as professional societies, donor and patient organisations and national authorities, consider that the legislation had made blood, tissues and cells safer in the EU. |
11. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control news
EU Laboratory Capability Monitoring System (EULabCap): Report on 2016 survey of EU/EEA country capabilities and capacities
This report for 2016, which presents the indicator results for EU and EEA (European Economic Area) countries, aims to help policymakers identify possible areas for action and to evaluate the impact of capacity strengthening activities and health system reforms
Eurosurveillance – Volume 23, Issue 14, 05 April 2018
Surveillance and outbreak report
Systematic Review
Eurosurveillance – Volume 23, Issue 15, 12 April 2018
Rapid communication
Eurosurveillance – Volume 23, Issue 16, 19 April 2018
Rapid communication
Eurosurveillance – Volume 23, Issue 17, 26 April 2018
Editorial
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12. WHO news
On World Health Day, recommit to health for all
On World Health Day, WHO calls on leaders in the European Region to recommit to health for all through concerted action for universal health coverage (UHC).
Bringing health services closer to people in Kyrgyzstan
The project in Kyrgyzstan offers an example of good practice for World Health Day 2018, which focuses on universal health coverage.
Statement by Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, for World Health Day 2018: health for all
“It is unacceptable that anyone today – a pensioner, single parent, unemployed person, your neighbour or mine – should be pushed into poverty by having to pay for the treatment they need. No one should have to choose between buying medicines or putting food on their table, or paying the rent. Europe has a strong history of recognizing the right to health for all, with equal access. These are guiding values for our health systems.”
WHO SDGs Newsletter April 2018
Goal 1: Poverty
Goal 2: Hunger and food security
Goal 3: Health
Goal 5: Gender equality and women’s empowerment
Goal 6: Water sanitation
Goal 10: Inequalities
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 This newsletter received 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. |
