Responses to EU consultation on health inequalities

The European Commission has published a summary of the responses to its consultation on health inequalities.

Responding to a consultation on possible future EU action in this area, a wide range of organisations emphasise the need to act on “the close connection between socio-economic status and health status”.

"The majority [of respondents] appeared to take a...view summarised by one health ministry which concluded: "We already know enough to take action"”, according to the summary document.

The European Commission is due to publish a communication on health inequalities in the autumn.

Work on early child development was raised as a priority by many of the organisations consulted.

“Policy therefore has to focus on children and young people, who cannot determine their living environment, nutrition and housing themselves and are susceptible to outside influences,” the report says.

A policy focus on children is supported by a WHO report on the social determinants of health.

“Investment in the early years provides one of the greatest potentials to reduce health inequities within a generation,” the WHO report says.

EU action on families and children is already being carried out, such as the GRADIENT project being carried out by EuroHealthNet.

Many organisations felt that work to tackle health inequalities at the EU level would be most effectively carried out across a range of sectors, including improving working conditions, housing, education, environment and employment.

Work to provide better indicators, comparable data and easier ways to exchange best practices were raised as necessary areas where EU action could have added value.

EU-level health impact assessments were also seen by some as potentially important activities, as were the setting of targets and milestones to measure progress.

You can read the summary of the responses to the consultation here, on the website of the European Commission’s directorate-general for health.