Norwegian policy strategies to reduce health inequalities

1
Norwegian policy strategies to reduce health
inequalities

• Elisabeth Fosse
• Presentation at the 5th Nordic Health Promotion
  Research Conference, Esbjerg, 2006

2
Introduction

• The aim of the study was to explore
• How health inequalities have been defined
• Whether forcus is on vulnerable groups or the
  social gradient
• How the policies may be characterised along
  M.Whiteheads action spectrum

3
Methods

• Document analysis
• Policy documents in the fields of public health
  and welfare in the period from 1998-2005

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General tendencies

• Well developed welfare state
• Universal welfare services
• The public sector mainly responsible for delivery
  of health and social services
• However Increased privatisation and market
  orientation may increase social gap in access to
  services

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Research findings- trends

• Health inequalities exist in Norway
• They are persistent and increasing
• Social gradient increased

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Action spectrum (M. Whitehead)

• Comprehensive coordinated strategies
• More structured developments and isolated
  initiatives
• Awareness raising, indifference

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Policy tendencies

• 1998-2003 Focus on vulnerable and marginalised
  groups
• 2003 Still same focus, but acknowledgment of the
  concept social inequalities in health
• 2005 Action plan to reduce social inequalities
  in health- gradient perspective

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(No Transcript)
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Action plan Challenge of the gradient

• Strengthen competencies at various levels
• Strengthen research and the evidence base
• Establish HIA as a tool to find out how policy
  decisions influence social inequalities in
  health.
• Measures that are a responsibility for the
  Directorate should be targeted at reducing social
  inequalities in health
• Prepare a national strategy to involve all
  sectors.

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Principles for action (2006)

• Explicit objectives
• Build on existing knowledge
• Emphasis on universal, population based
  strategies
• Combination of inidividual oriented and more
  structural measures
• Comprehensive and coordinated measures

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Conclusion

• The action principles more comprehensive than
  earlier policies
• The action principles will be the basis for
  policy implementation
• In 2006, there seems to be a movement upward the
  action spectrum
• Norway now in the mid category more structured
  developments