Health Determinants

Tackling major health determinants is of great potential for reducing the burden of disease and promoting the health of the general population. Health determinants can be categorised as: personal behaviour and lifestyles; influences within communities which can sustain or damage health; living and working conditions and access to health services; and general socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions. The aim of Community action in this area is twofold. First, to encourage and support the development of actions and networks for gathering, providing and exchanging information in order to assess and develop policies, strategies and measures, with the purpose of establishing effective interventions aimed at tackling the determinants of health. Second, to promote and stimulate Member States' efforts in this field, for example, by developing innovative projects which will stand as examples of effective practice. The following principles apply to the actions listed below. First, wherever possible, the experience gained under previous Community public health programmes will be built upon. Second, as socio-economic factors are an important reason for variations in health status across Europe, addressing these factors will be considered in all actions aimed at tackling lifestyle-related health determinant. Finally, life cycle approaches - and in particular the problems related to the ageing population - will be taken into account when addressing health determinants. Several cross-cutting themes are closely linked with the activities in the area of health determinants. These include in particular evaluating quality and efficiency of health promotion strategies and measures; promotion of health for the ageing population; addressing the socio-economic determinants of health. Browse the Theme Lifestyle Individual life-style is very dependent on other health determinants such as culture, employment, education, income and social and community networks. These factors must be considered in any effort to change the life-style of individuals. Socio-economic determinants of health - health inequalities Socio-economic status is an important determinant of health status. People who are poorer, less well educated or who have a lower status job tend to have poorer health. Improving health and tackling health inequalities is a goal in itself but it is also an important requirement for further economic development. Environment The physical environment is an ecosystem with which humans are in constant interaction and with which the stability of their well being is inextricably enmeshed. Genetics and screening Genetic factors are health determinants which extend far beyond the scope of public health interventions. The field of genetics will in future years become more and more visible.