Project “Impact of Structural Funds on Health Gains”,

Executive Agency for Health and Consumers, Contract No. 2010 6303

Text passages from http://healthgain.eu/:

EU Structural Funds (SF) represent almost € 50 billion a year to support the development of poorer regions across Europe. This valuable investment source is available to improve the infrastructure and socio-economic profile of a region. Using these funds innovatively can tackle inequalities, target pockets of poverty and assist vulnerable groups. … Structural Funds can invest directly and indirectly in health infrastructure and capacity …

This guide demonstrates how non-health related investments such as transport, environment, infrastructure, research, agriculture, education, training, energy, social and economic development could generate health gains. It shows how promoting smart, sustainable and inclusive growth – goals of the EU2020 Strategy – is linked to better health outcomes.

… methodology of the guide including the DPSEEA model … Background information on Structural Funds and on the economic, environmental and social determinants of health … Case studies … from 10 Regions across the EU … links between investments in key areas of SF spending and health gains …

The project team is made up of experts at Milieu Ltd and Tamarack Ltd, with Ben Cave as the overall Team Leader for the project’s intellectual work. A Scientific Advisory Board provides expert input and review of the team’s work; members:

• Dr Rainer Fehr, epidemiologist, Institute of Public Health, North Rhine Westphalia, Germany
• Dr Lidia Georgieva, medical doctor, bio-statistician, Bulgaria
• Professor Christos Lionis, medical doctor and regional health policy manager, Faculty of Medicine, Greece
• Professor Maria Partidario, expert in regional planning and impact assessment, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal
• Howard Reed, expert in health economics, Director, Landman Economics, United Kingdom
• Dr David Stuckler, sociologist and public health expert, University of Oxford and Harvard University