Editorial: We have one mission- to fight poverty for improving population health and health equity

Dear members of the EUPHA Health Promotion Section,

Our EUPHA Health Promotion Section Steering Group meetings (unsurprisingly) recently include discussions about the Ottawa Charter and its 40 years anniversary this year. Health Promotion International has a collection of articles to provide space for scholars and practitioners to reflect on the Charter- the impact that it has had on the discipline of health promotion and beyond, what has worked well, and what could be improved going forward (Thomas, Catford et al. 2026). One article in particular, written by Professor Seye Abimbola (Abimbola 2026), has piqued our interest in its simplicity, core message and espousal of self-evident truths in public health. Essentially, Professor Abimbola calls out a few critical points.

Although practice and scholarship continue apace on the need to move towards more upstream practice, downstream drift towards lifestyle interventions still characterise health policy and practice. In order to work effectively at all levels of the stream (so to speak), research is needed to strengthen understanding of how to identify, prevent, and address lifestyle drift (a term coined by Popay and colleagues, 2010) (Popay, Whitehead et al. 2010) that could enhance the effectiveness of upstream interventions aimed at reducing health inequities, as one piece of research concludes (Halsall, Orpana et al. 2025).

Professor Abimbola calls on us to maintain our focus always with one eye and hand on upstream work, as well as downstream activities, if that is part of practice. The article also touches on a point central to the work of health promotion and public health, which is that invoking local knowledge and sense-making with communities is vitally important. This public involvement input can contribute to the design and implementation of more targeted and appropriate policies and interventions.

Addressing the biggest self-evident truth of all, is that poverty must be eradicated to enable people to live healthier, longer, and happier lives. Copious scholarship attests to the effectiveness of addressing the structural determinants of health across societies for population health and health equity, including Kate Prickett’s recent book The Good Society, and How We Make It. The book is yet another simple yet powerful description of synthesized research evidencing all that we have known for decades, that if everyone has a decent, liveable income, is housed well in a safe and socially cohesive neighbourhood, is nourished well, and has a say in the policies that impact on their daily lives, then people are in a tangible position to make healthier choices, because the choices have become easier- attainable. Fighting poverty and discrimination, working upstream on policy development and informing policy decisions, and ensuring communities are involved in all these endeavours through sense-making and public involvement, are key components to ensuring the vision of the Ottawa Charter continues to live on. This direction-of-travel has never before been so urgently needed in our fractured, polarised and unpredictable world as it is today.

Thank you for reading our editorial!

Dr Monica O’Mullane, Member of the Health Promotion Section Steering Committee

Eric Breton, Section President, Elisabeth Nöhammer, Vice President, and the members of the Steering Committee: Chrysanthi Tatsi, Dulce Maria do Nascimento do Ó, John Dierx, Karina Leksy, Michelle Baybutt, Roosa-Maria Savela, Sherihane Bensemmane, Suzannah D’Hooghe and, Ursula Griebler.

References for Editorial: 

Abimbola, S. (2026). “The evidence of things not seen.” Health Promotion International 41(1).

Halsall, T., H. Orpana and M. Jan (2025). “Tracing the undercurrents: a scoping review of the lifestyle drift concept.” BMC Public Health 26(1): 321.

Popay, J., M. Whitehead and D. J. Hunter (2010). “Injustice is killing people on a large scale—but what is to be done about it?” Journal of Public Health 32(2): 148–149.

Thomas, S., J. Catford, M. Daube, I. Kickbusch, J. Francis, O. Okan, K. Dadaczynski, C. Wild, S. Kavanagh, B. Lunnay, K. Frazer, A. Haynes and B. Matthes (2026). “Health Promotion International: four decades of impact.” Health Promotion International 41(1).

A Party needs People! Celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the Ottawa Charter together

As a section, we are celebrating the Ottawa Charter’s 40^th anniversary this year. And a party needs people!

Here is how you can get involved:

• Join our teaching project ‘What would the Ottawa Charter look like if it were written in 2026?’ (more info in our previous newsletter)
• Co-organize webinars with us
• Tell us of your events that we can announce and showcase in the Newsletter or
• Enrich the European Public Health Week with your ideas

Please tell us your interests using this survey so we can get back to you!
We are looking forward to receiving your responses!

Health Promotion and NCD Prevention: Solutions to Today’s Challenges

WHO/Europe invites the participants of this virtual event on 29^th and 30^th April (10.00-12.30 CET) to reflect on how prevention and health promotion can help address today’s complex challenges.

• Contribute your voice to the future of health promotion and NCD prevention in the WHO European Region
• Join interactive discussions
• Explore what works now and what needs to change
• Add your experience to a shared regional dialogue

Feel free to register for the event here.

You are organizing a conference, symposium, workshop to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Ottawa Charter, then let us know

We are planning to build a map of the different events that will take place over the year. We will promote them through our newsletters and help organisers to connect with other colleagues across Europe so their events reach a larger audience. Write us (eric.breton@ehesp.fr)

EPH Conference Bilbao 2026: Pre-conference, workshop, what do you wish for?  

Are you planning to attend the European Public Health Conference in Bilbao, and would like to organise a workshop or a pre-conference but are struggling to find speakers? Do not hesitate to let us know so we can get the word out. A workshop is more likely to be accepted when it features speakers from different countries. In case you are looking for collaboration, please do contact us as soon as possible (Elisabeth.Noehammer@umit-tirol.at). Deadline for abstract submission is, as always, May 1^st. And, as you know, time flies!

We hope to see you in Bilbao!

Webinar: The setting approach in health promotion: lessons learned and current challenges, March 31^st, 13.00 CET

We look forward to seeing you at our next webinar, on March 31^st, to share learnings and discuss together the opportunities and challenges of the setting approach in health promotion.

Register here

Over the year, we will hold a number of webinars. Check out our next Newsletter for the details. Stay tuned and do not hesitate to suggest topics you would like to see addressed.

Building population resilience

The Health Promotion Section is planning to intensify work on resilience, e.g. via grants, projects, etc. Please do contact us in case you are working on this topic and interested to collaborate with other colleagues (Elisabeth.Noehammer@umit-tirol.at).

Hearing from our Steering Group Members! Today’s spotlight is on: Dr Michelle Baybutt

Dr Michelle Baybutt describes her work below for this newsletter. Please reach out to Michelle directly if you’d like to collaborate with her on this area of work.

Understanding Complex Mental Health Challenges in Cumbria, United Kingdom

Rural and coastal regions, like Cumbria in the UK, face specific challenges relating to social isolation, economic stagnation and disinvestment, limited infrastructure and poor access to health and social care. These issues come together with intergenerational disadvantage to create public health challenges, often linked to a high burden of mental ill health.

The University of Cumbria recently secured a £2.5 million Mental Health Leaders Award [MHLA], through the National Institute for Health and Care Research [NIHR], supporting the University’s ambition to undertake applied mental health research with and for the diverse communities of Cumbria and being led by Professor Michelle Baybutt and Professor Joy Duxbury. The MHLA is designed to support higher education institutions to build their capacity and ability for targeted and applied mental health research through public partnerships and research inclusive activities within their local communities.  

In this context, the University of Cumbria’s MHLA focuses on mental health and inequalities across the region of Cumbria. Its unique geography, spanning coastal, remote, rural and urban communities, as well as the Lake District National Park, creates a complex landscape of both need and access to local mental health services. The county experiences high levels of poverty, suicide, self-harm, and a lack of opportunity for young people, which cut across this geographical complexity. Despite this, the needs and challenges of the diverse communities of Cumbria are poorly understood. Through the MHLA we will support the development of and build capacity for mental health research in the region. The aim is to provide the foundations for applied mental health research that will make a practical difference to the lives of those providing, needing or receiving services in Cumbria initially focusing on four key, broad areas:

• the complex needs of those with autism, learning difficulties, and mental health problems and gaps in services and provision
• challenges associated with mental health crisis in the community (Urgent and emergency care) compounded by remoteness and access problems in rural and coastal areas
• the specific needs of children and young people in Cumbria where rates of suicide and self-harm are high
• place-based green and blue spaces to both engage with people in the county and support their mental health and wellbeing

An integral part of our MHLA is our Patient and Public Involvement [PPI] Advisory Group, a group of people who live and work in Cumbria, with lived experience of navigating mental health challenges and /or services. The group will help shape the direction of the project, ensuring our work reflects the priorities and realities of local communities. Through meaningful involvement in discussions, shared decision making and research activities, the group will help guide future research priorities. By recognising lived experience as expertise in its own right, the MHLA aims to ensure that future research is grounded in community perspectives and leads to impactful and relevant outcomes for people across Cumbria.

Contact: Professor Michelle Baybutt: michelle.baybutt@cumbria.ac.uk