Open AccessIntervening to Reduce Inequalities in Infections in Europe
Author(s) -
Jan C. Semenza,
Johan Giesecke
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2007.120329
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , public health , communicable disease , context (archaeology) , socioeconomic status , environmental health , disease , transmission (telecommunications) , non communicable disease , inequality , medicine , political science , economic growth , population , geography , economics , nursing , mathematical analysis , archaeology , engineering , pathology , mathematics , electrical engineering
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control was founded in response to newly emerging infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome and avian influenza. However, Europe faces other communicable disease challenges that have proven to be remarkably resilient to public health interventions. We present examples of communicable diseases with inequitable distribution among those with poor educational attainment, low income, or other socioeconomic factors in every European country. Because these findings are incompatible with social justice and fairness, we examine strategic interventions targeting upstream causes of communicable disease transmission keeping in mind 10 indispensable public health functions essential to reach marginalized groups. These interventions have to be tailored to the socio-political context and rely on community-based decision-making and intersectorial collaboration.