Conference 'Reducing health inequalities from a regional perspective'

On 8 and 9 November 2010, over 270 participants from European Union countries attended a conference in Genk to debate and discuss the issue of health inequalities. Figures show that people living in poorer circumstances and those lower down the social ladder have a shorter life expectancy. Participants in the conference examined which kind of policy measures and initiatives are effective in eliminating health inequalities. The conference mainly focused on initiatives at the regional and local levels.

Conclusions 

• Conclusions of the conference (PDF)
• Verslag Vlaamse namiddag: Aanzet tot een Vlaams beleid inzake gezondheidsongelijkheden (PDF) (Dutch only)

Presentations day 1

• Picture of health inequities in European regions (PDF) - Prof Peter Goldblatt
• Health in all policies. Engaging in all spheres of governance (PDF) - Dave Wilcox
• Moving forward equity in health: monitoring social determinants of health and the reduction of health inequalities. Initiative of Spain during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union under the trio ES-BE-HU 2010–2011 (PDF) - Dr Enrique Terol García
• Statement on the lessons learned in Europe (PDF) - Dr Erio Ziglio
• Evidence based initiatives to remove inequity: consider the complexity and look into methodologically justified evaluation methods (PDF) - Prof Margaret Whitehead
• Tackling the gradient in health: towards developing an evaluation framework (PDF) - Aagje Ieven
• Tackling health inequalities through intersectoral action – an example from a region: steps towards policy development (PDF) - Dr Harry Burns
• Inequalities in health: a strategy to narrow the health gap (PDF) - Johan Alleman 
• Bridging the Science - Policy Gap, with an emphasis on working life (PDF) - Lennart Levi 
• Closing the gap in reality (PDF) - Sir Michael Marmot

Presentations day 2

• If I were a president (PDF) - Ivo Nuyens
• European perspective on how to proceed: role of the regions (PDF) - Charles Price
• Future prospects for the Regions for Health Network of the World Health Organisation (PDF) - Dr Erio Ziglio

Workshop 1: Equity from the start (focus op kinderen)

• Strategies for tackling the health gradient in children. The impact of the local community (PDF) - Prof Lea Maes
• Family supporters make a difference (PDF) - Rudy De Cock
• Promoting healthy food and physical activity in primary schools and neighbourhoods (PDF) - Inge Kelchtermans
• Healthy School (PDF) - Carina Kainz
• Conclusions workshop 1 (PDF)

Workshop 2: Gender equity (focus op vrouwen)

• Gender Equity: an introduction (PDF) - Piroska Ostlin
• Tackling health inequalities in women with disability within the Program for Humanization of perinatal Care in Andalusia (PDF) - Syra Borras Pruneda
• Providing education on sexual and reproductive health to vulnerable migrants through civic integration programme in Flanders: opportunities and obstacles (PDF) - Thomas Demyttenaere
• Conclusions workshop 2 (PDF)

Workshop 3: Fair employment and decent work (focus op kwetsbare groepen)

• Key considerations on fair employment and decent work (PDF) - Luc Zelderloo
• MostVital (PDF) - Christina Hönickl
• Improving Health and Reducing Inequalities Through Work (PDF) - Yvonne Clarke 
• Because holidays are for every one (PDF) - Marianne Schapmans
• Conclusions workshop 3 (PDF)

Workshop 4: Universal health care - access to health care

• Policy into practice programme: health in local government (PDF) - Annemie Coëme  
• Community oriented care (PDF) - Leen De Roo 
• Liverpool Cancer Awareness and early diagnosis (PDF) - Tony Mercer
• Conclusions workshop 4 (PDF)

Workshop 5: Universal health care - health promotion

• ‘Quit-it-bus’ – The Greater Manchester Public Health Network’s Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke Campaign (PDF) - Anthony Threlfall
• ‘Uitgerookt?’ (PDF) - Françoise Roelandts
• Train-the-Trainer for healthier lives (PDF) - Sheillann Monaghan
• Conclusions workshop 5 (PDF)

Workshop 6: Inequalities and psychiatry

• Bottlenecks in mental health care. The iceberg as a metaphor (PDF) - Tinne Vandensande
• The relation between mental health and poverty within the walls of a psychiatric institution (PDF) - Dominique Danau
• The potential role of social services in providing integrated care on mental health and welfare (PDF) - Ann Desmet 
• KOPP OP! – A regional project to prevent mental health problems in children of parents with psychiatric illness (PDF) - Peter Emmery   
• Addressing inequalities in mental health: building blocks for regional policies to promote mental health and equity (PDF) - Stephan Van den Broucke 
• Conclusions workshop 6 (PDF)

Vlaamse namiddag (Dutch only)

• Discussienota Vlaamse namiddag met stellingen (PDF)
• Aanzet tot een Vlaams beleid inzake gezondheidsongelijkheden (PDF)
• Gezondheidsongelijkheden in Vlaanderen. Facts & Figures (PDF) - Herman Van Oyen
• Ongelijk gezond (PDF) - Johan Alleman