International Journal of Health Policy and Management

International Journal of Health Policy and Management

Health Promotion at Local Level in Norway – Who, What, When, and How: A Response to Recent Commentaries

Document Type : Correspondence

Authors
Susanne Hagen 1
Kjell Ivar Øvergård 1
Marit Kristine Helgesen 2
Elisabeth Fosse 3
Steffen Torp 1
1 Department of Health, Social, and Welfare Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway, Borre, Norway
2 Faculty of Health and Welfare, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway
3 Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
10.15171/ijhpm.2019.01
Keywords
Equity
HIAP
Norway
Health Promotion
Commentary
Subjects

First of all, we will thank Bekken,1 Fisher,2 Holt3 and Raphael4  for very good and inspiring commentaries. We feel honoured that the authors have taken time to analyse the article in depth and provided commentaries that not only are helpful to our research but also formulate important questions to move research forward on how to organize public health policies and particularly policies to increase equity in health... (Read more...)

  1. Bekken W. Public health coordinator - how to promote focus on social inequality at a local level, and how should it be included in public health policies? Comment on "Health promotion at local level in Norway: the use of public health coordinators and health overviews to promote fair distribution among social groups." Int J Health Policy Manag. 2018;7(11):1061-1063. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2018.74
  2. Fisher M. Challenging institutional norms to improve local-level policy for health and health equity: Comment on "Health promotion at local level in Norway: the use of public health coordinators and health overviews to promote fair distribution among social groups." Int J Health Policy Manag. 2018;7(10):968-970. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2018.67
  3. Holt DH. Rethinking the theory of change for health in all policies: Comment on "Health promotion at local level in Norway: the use of public health coordinators and health overviews to promote fair distribution among social groups." Int J Health Policy Manag. 2018;7(12):1161-1164. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2018.96
  4. Raphael D. Understanding the promotion of health equity at the local level requires far more than quantitative analyses of yes-no survey data: Comment on "Health promotion at local level in Norway: the use of public health coordinators and health overviews to promote fair distribution among social groups." Int J Health Policy Manag. 2018;7(10):964-967. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2018.70
  5. Hagen S, Helgesen M, Torp S, Fosse E. Health in All Policies: a cross-sectional study of the public health coordinators' role in Norwegian municipalities. Scand J Public Health. 2015;43(6):597-605. doi:10.1177/1403494815585614
  6. Hagen S, Torp S, Helgesen M, Fosse E. Promoting health by addressing living conditions in Norwegian municipalities. Health Promot Int. 2017;32(6):977-987. doi:10.1093/heapro/daw052
  7. Hagen S, Overgard KI, Helgesen M, Fosse E, Torp S. Health promotion at local level in Norway: the use of public health coordinators and health overviews to promote fair distribution among social groups. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2018;7(9):807-817. doi:10.15171/ijhpm.2018.22
  8. Marmot M. The Health Gap: The Challenge of an Unequal World. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC; 2015.
  9. Sellers JM, Lidstrom A. Decentralization, local government, and the welfare state. Governance. 2007;20(4):609-632. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0491.2007.00374.x
  10. Baldersheim H, Rose LE, Sandberg S. Local and regional government in the Nordic countries: Co-operative decentralization. In: Knutsen O, ed. The Nordic Models in Political Science: Challenged, But Still Viable? Bergen: Fagbokforlaget; 2017.
  11. Tallarek nee Grimm MJ, Helgesen MK, Fosse E. Reducing social inequities in health in Norway: concerted action at state and local levels? Health Policy. 2013;113(3):228-235. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2013.09.019
  12. Fosse E, Helgesen MK. How can local governments level the social gradient in health among families with children? The case of Norway. Int J Child Youth Family Stud. 2015;6(2):328-346. doi:10.18357/ijcyfs.62201513505
  13. Fosse E, Helgesen MK. Advocating for health promotion policy in norway: The role of the county municipalities. Societies. 2017;7(2):5. doi:10.3390/soc7020005
  14. Schou A, Fosse E. The Social Democratic Welfare State: Can the State provide Equity for All? The case of Norway. In: Raphael D, ed. Immigration and the Modern Welfare State: Public Policy, Immigrant Experiences, and Health Outcomes. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press; 2016.
  15. Bjornsen EH. Implementation of the Public Health Act in a Norwegian municipality with regard to Health in all Policies and Health Inequity. Bergen: University of Bergen; 2014.
  16. Oldeide OB. Implementing the public health act in a local setting: addressing the social inequities in health in a Norwegian municipality. Bergen: University of Bergen; 2014.
  17. Shandiz KN. Norske fylkeskommuner - Med sosiale ulikheter og ”Helse i alt vi gjør” på agendaen? - En dokumentanalyse av 13 regionale folkehelseplaner [Norwegian municipalitites - With social inequity and "Health in all policies" on the agenda? A document analysis of 13 regional public health plans]. Bergen: University of Bergen; 2015.
  18. Polit DF, Beck CT. Generalization in quantitative and qualitative research: myths and strategies. Int J Nurs Stud. 2010;47(11):1451-1458. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.06.004
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Volume 8, Issue 4
April 2019
Pages 253-255

  • Received Date 05 January 2019
  • Revised Date 15 January 2019
  • Accepted Date 15 January 2019
  • First Published Date 01 April 2019
  • Published Date 01 April 2019