WHO/HBSC Forum: Tackling socio-environmentally determined health inequities among children and adolescents
19 - 20 October 2009
Sienna, Italy
The WHO/HBSC Forum process distils lessons learnt and policy implications for promoting child and adolescent health through action on social, economic and environmental determinants of health. It also helps reinforcing the equity and social determinants focus of the European Strategy for Child and Adolescent Health.Poor children playing in the streetThe 2009 Forum uses an environmental inequities lens to examine the physical and social facilitators and barriers to reducing injuries and increasing physical activity among children and adolescents.
Evidence, survey data (on unintentional injuries, physical activity and school environments), country case studies and capacity building materials were presented at the Forum. They were meant to stimulate discussions about policy options that countries can adopt to tackle socio-environmentally determined health inequities.
The Forum process
The process supports Member States in translating the findings of the HBSC studies into action, including an annual European consultation and the production of case studies and background papers.
Its main aims are:
* to reduce health inequities among children and adolescents;
* to scale up intersectoral policies and interventions to promote child and adolescent health, and exploring how the health system can facilitate this;
* to translate research on child and adolescent health and health inequities into policies and action both within and beyond the health sector;
* to involve young people, families, schools and communities in the design and implementation of policies and interventions that promote adolescent health.
http://www.euro.who.int/childhealthenv/20090514_1
