OECD, November 2020
This edition marks the start of a new State of Health in the EU cycle – an initiative launched to assist EU Member States in improving the health of their citizens and the performance of their health systems. “The foremost lesson learnt from the COVID‑19 pandemic is that there is no trade-off between lives and livelihoods. Public health and the global economy are inextricably linked. We cannot have one without the other. Healthy global economic systems depend on healthy citizens. Strengthening the preparedness and resilience of health systems will require additional resources. With the right investment – from better global public health governance, to stronger health information systems and support for a digital transformation of health systems – the return on the well-being of people and the functioning of economies and societies will be high and long-lasting.” The previous edition published in 2018, made a strong case for preventing and addressing the huge burden of mental health issues in Europe. The OECD sees this as an even greater priority now and calls on governments to promote the provision of early and fully integrated services in order to improve social and labour market outcomes for people with mental health problems.
DOWNLOAD PDF: Health at a Glance: Europe 2020 State of Health in de EU Cycle
3/12 Understanding vulnerabilities in the context of COVID-19
WHO webinar series
This WHO ‘Vulnerability series will look at COVID-19 as a syndemic, acknowledging the social origin of COVID-19.
3 December: Cities, urban health and well-being and inequalities & COVID-19
17 December: Vaccinations, inequalities & COVID-19
All webinars take place on Thursdays, at 16:30 CET here.
Worth to watch this presentation back from Micheal Marmot: COVID-19 is “EXPOSING and AMPLIFYING” – to use his words – existing inequities also in mental health. His presentation was truly impressive and made many wonder WHY – with such evidence – we are (still) where we are. Many have asked for the recording. It can be found here.
- What can regions do when data is not at level of the UK (i.e. lack of disaggregated data)? - What actions can regions take to reduce inequalities related to COVID-19? - Is there a trade-off between health and the economy? Sir Michael Gideon Marmot, FBA, FMedSci, FRCP is Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London. He is currently the Director of The UCL Institute of Health Equity.
This Working Paper examines how developing biological systems in the body interact with each other and adapt to the contexts in which a child is developing—for better or for worse—with lifelong consequences for physical and mental health. It explains in clear language how these systems are affected by adversity early in life, and shows how those adaptations can result in costly, common chronic illnesses. The paper encourages us to think beyond early learning in policy and practice. It explores how policymakers, leaders of human services systems, intervention developers, and practitioners can also reduce disparities in preventable diseases and premature deaths and lower the high costs of health care for chronic illnesses that have their origins in early childhood adversity.
DOWNLOAD:
Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body: Early Childhood Development and Lifelong Health Are Deeply Intertwined
