Winterthur, ZHAW
Swiss Public Health Conference 2019
Child and Adolescent Public Health
Early support and prevention pay off. Health-promoting environments and behaviors in childhood have a major impact on health and satisfaction later in life. It is indisputable that unequal access to healthcare and education during early childhood leads to inequality in skills, accomplishments, health, and general success in adult life.
The Swiss Public Health Conference 2019 will be delving into these connections. On the basis of the lifetime perspective, experts will discuss the current state of development in Switzerland and put forward potential consequences. However, data is often missing in order to be able to intervene in a targeted manner. For this reason, the gaps in Switzerland will be examined and ongoing studies in other European countries will be presented.
The digital transformation constitutes another challenge for the health sector and will also be a topic at the conference. Digitalization can be used for positive public healthcare interventions. However, media skills are necessary in order to effectively navigate the digital society. With this in mind, we will need to adapt the health strategies for the new generation and pursue new solutions.
The Swiss Public Health Conference 2019 will present research results and practical experiences relating to this wide range of topics. The conferences aim is to point out gaps and potential for optimization and to urge politicians and authorities to act. To conclude the conference, a joint manifesto on child and adolescent health will be adopted. After all, the next generation should be given the best possible conditions for a good start in life.
Ursula Zybach, President Swiss Society for Public Health
Nino Künzli, Director Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+) und Deputy Director Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)
Andreas Gerber-Grote, Director Health Professions Department, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Scientific Director of the conference
The FOPH conducts information campaigns aimed at raising awareness of issues, for instance communicable diseases, smoking and alcohol consumption, handling of chemical products in everyday life, measles vaccination or organ donation, among people living in Switzerland.
Working in collaboration with the cantons, international health agencies and other partners, the Swiss Government combats communicable diseases that constitute a threat to public health in Switzerland.
Non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases and diabetes are currently the most common cause of deaths worldwide, and account for around 75 percent of deaths in Switzerland.
Mental health encompasses personal wellbeing, satisfaction, self-confidence and the ability to form and sustain relationships, to cope with everyday life and to work. Mental health is not a state; it is a dynamic process of adaptation to the changing environment.
Alcohol, illegal drugs and tobacco cause a great deal of suffering for those affected and high consequential costs for society. Besides the "classic" addictions, there are also "new" forms such as dependence on prescription drugs, gambling or excessive use of the Internet.
Certain sectors of the population are particularly vulnerable in terms of harm to health, owing either to their physical or emotional constitution (e.g. disability, mental illness, addictive disorder, pregnancy, advanced age, migration background, etc.) or to their socio-economic situation.
Each phase of a human being's life is shaped by structural changes in the body and mind and by the needs that result from these changes. In a number of life phases – childhood, pregnancy or advanced age ­– health is an especially important factor and particular care is needed to protect it.
To ensure the greatest possible effectiveness, measures that are aimed at promoting health and preventing diseases must be based on sound scientific foundations. Evaluation is used to support strategy development, achieve optimum effectiveness, promote organisational learning and provide accountability to the public.
Healthcare policy focuses on public health and public healthcare provision. Access to prevention and early identification services and to appropriate healthcare for all sectors of the population is an important basic requirement. Further topics include quality assurance of the services provided and the financial viability, data situation and manageability of the healthcare system.
In an increasingly networked world, the significance of international cooperation is also steadily growing in the health sector. Two key factors are international cooperation as a means of promoting health in Switzerland, and health as a component of development aid.