Patient empowerment in the European Region

Patient empowerment in the European Region

A call for joint action

First European Conference on Patient Empowerment Copenhagen, Denmark, 11–12 April 2012

Zsuzsanna JakabWHO Regional Director for Europe

Gradient: tackle the health divide

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80

1970 1980 1990 2000

European RegionEU members before May 2004 EU members since May 2004 CIS

Life expectancy at birth, in years

Address the social determinants of health

Redress patterns of health inequities

Ensure that continual reduction of health inequities becomes a criterion for assessing the performance of health systems

Gap: tackle Europe’s major disease burden

Implement global and regional mandates: noncommunicable diseases, tobacco, diet and physical activity, alcohol, HIV, TB, International Health Regulations, antibiotic resistance, etc.

Promote healthy choices

Develop healthy settings and environments

Strengthen health systems, including primary health care, health information and surveillance

Give attention to special needs and disadvantaged populations

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10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

European Region EU-15 EU-12 CIS

Country groups

Deaths

Circulatory system Malignant neoplasms External causes

Infectious disease Respiratory system Other causes

Year

Standardized death rate, 0-64 per 100,000

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Cause

Heart disease

Cancer

Injuries and violence

Infectious diseases

Mental disorders

Reach and maintain recommended immunization coverage

Health literacy in eight European countries

• 47% of the people surveyed across eight European countries have limited health literacy

• The lower the health literacy in a country, the poorer the health of its citizens

Health 2020

Health 2020 is a value-based action-oriented policy framework that can be adapted to the different

realities in the countries in the WHO European Region

Health 2020 vision

A WHO European Region in which all people are enabled and supported in achieving their full health potential and well-being and in which countries, individually and jointly, work towards reducing

inequities in health within the Region and beyond

Health 2020 goalsTo improve the health and well-being of populations, to reduce health inequities and to ensure sustainable people-centred health systems

New European policy for Health – Health 2020: increasing citizen and patient participation

Provide structures and resources that empower the people of the European Region:

• to make use of their own assets

• to be active participants in shaping health policy

• to respond to the health challenges by improving health literacy

• to ensure their voice in patient-centred health systems

• to participate fully in community and family life.

Empowerment strategies and areas of action

1. Healthy public policy, political participation and protection of rights

2. Health literacy and disease self-management

3. High-quality care and accountability of services

4. Empowering communities

Improving health literacy and disease self-management

• Information is power

• Accessible and appropriate information and education about healthy living and risk factors

• Promoting health literacy among individual people and strengthening community action

High-quality care and accountability of services

• Access to general and specialized services, including for marginalized groups

• Rights-based and person-centred treatment, relationships based on respect and trust

• Patient safety and rights

• Accountability of service providers

Community empowerment

• Everybody can help to remove barriers!

• Health promotion in schools

• Housing and employment opportunities

• Disease prevention and disease self-management at workplaces

• Anti-stigma programmes

• Supporting family caregivers

Patient empowerment programmes at the WHO Regional Office for Europe

• Noncommunicable

diseases and health promotion

• Mental health

• Patient safety

THANK YOU!

Joint action for patient empowerment in the European Region