Health-promoting environment

[2013 Patients’ Rights Day] Putting patients in the driver’s seat

On the occasion of 2013 Patients’ Rights Day (May 15) EPHA would like to stress that, although much progress has been made, there is still a lot of scope for health systems to benefit from an obvious, yet commonly underutilized and underestimated resource: patients themselves. As patients and consumers of health services - and we all fall into this category throughout our lives - we build up an enormous amount of knowledge over the years that takes various forms. Some individuals, (...)

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Also about: Health Rights and Patients , Healthcare services , Health Inequalities , public health , patient rights , Innovation , health system , health economics

[Water is a Human Right campaign] First ever European Citizens Initiative to make it !

Brussels, 7 May - The first ever European Citizens Initiative (ECI) – Water is a Human Right! – has collected over 1.5 million signatures across Europe. Eight countries have just passed the minimum number of signatures required. The European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Water is a Human Right!’ is a pan-European initiative calling for the European Union (EU) to guarantee clean drinking water and quality sanitation for everyone living in Europe. EPHA, one of the (...)

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Also about: EU Institutions , Health Rights and Patients , poverty and health , vulnerable groups , Fundamental Rights , Water

[EPHA position paper] Reforming Health Sy­stems in Times of Austerity

Amidst the backdrop of the economic crisis and countries being recommended to reform health systems to achieve better public administrations and fiscal consolidation, EPHA launches its position on health system reforms. This position includes lessons learned and recommendations for equality.

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Also about: Healthcare services , Services General Interest (SGI) , Economic crisis , workforce , professional mobility , health system , equality

[European Observatory] Venice Summer School 2013

The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Veneto Region of Italy are organising a Summer School with the title “Time for Change: Innovative Ways of Improving Population Health†The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Veneto Region of Italy are organising a Summer School with the title “Time for Change: Innovative Ways of Improving Population Health” European countries increasingly recognize the importance of (...)

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Also about: Health Inequalities , public health , health promotion , vulnerable groups , Health in all policies , social determinants of health , Population

[Pre-announcement] Violence Against Children Report Cards to be launched

On May 30 the European Child Safety Alliance will launch Violence Against Children Report Cards for 29 European countries. This is the first time that Violence Against Children Report Cards are being produced and released across Europe. The Violence Against Children Report Cards assess the extent of harm prevention measures provided to children by examining and grading the adoption, implementation and enforcement of national level, evidence-based policies addressing intentional injury to (...)

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Also about: children and adolescents , Transport , accidents and injuries , childhood mortality , vulnerable groups , prevention , social determinants of health , Children health

International Thalassaemia Day – 8th of May

For the global thalassaemia family, the 8th of May constitutes a very special day as it is dedicated to both commemorate the thalassaemia patients who are no longer with us and to celebrate all those patients who are alive and fighting every day for their right to a better quality of life. Thalassaemia are forms of inherited recessive blood disorders originating in the Mediterranean region. This disease is caused by the weakening and destruction of red blood cells. Thalassaemia is caused (...)

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Also about: Chronic Diseases , vulnerable groups , Health in all policies , social determinants of health

UK Chief Medical Officer warns of danger of Antimicrobial Resistance

The threat posed by growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), should be considered as serious as terrorism, according to the UK’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Dame Sally Davies. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Professor Davies urged the British government to raise the issue at the upcoming G8 Summit and warned that AMR poses a ’catastrophic threat’ to the population. Mirroring comments made by the WHO, she added that, unless concrete steps are taken (...)

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Also about: Pharmaceuticals and Medicines , Patient safety , patient rights , antibiotic , Innovation , Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Links between Housing Situation, Noise Pollution & Adverse Health Effects

A recent pan-European study has reviewed the factors which influence how annoyed a person feels about road traffic and aircraft noise. Among its findings, residents in terraced housing or apartments were less annoyed by road traffic noise than residents in semi-detached or detached housing. People who are exposed to long-term noise may experience annoyance as well as health problems, including high blood pressure (hypertension). This study, conducted under the EU HYENA project [[HYENA (...)

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Also about: environment , poverty and health , equity , vulnerable groups , housing , social inclusion , social determinants of health , Noise pollution

[Report] The Unpaid Health Bill - how is coal pollution making us sick?

How is coal pollution making us sick? is the latest Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) report launched on 7 March. The paper provides an overview of the scientific evidence of how air pollution impacts on health and how emissions from coal power plants are implicated in this. It presents the first ever economic assessment of the health costs associated with air pollution from coal power plants in Europe as well as testimonies from leading health advocates, medical experts and policy (...)

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Also about: environment , Air Quality and Air Pollution , Non-communicable diseases , Chronic Diseases , climate change , equity , health promotion , air pollution , air quality , prevention , social determinants of health

[Press Release] EU agriculture budget must favour healthy foodstuff, not chronic disease in the form of tobacco subsidies

Brussels, 4 March – In the run up to next week’s European Parliament (EP) vote on the 2014-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), national delegations from the three largest political groups in the EP (1) are set to decide their negotiating mandate for the agriculture funds: a budge heading that will consume 38 percent of the next seven-year EU budget. The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) calls on Europe’s political ‘families’ not to support the (...)

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Also about: tobacco and smoking , Sustainable Development , CAP reform , EU budget , farmers , agriculture