A renewed public health policy
The bill "A renewed public health policy" (Government Bill 2007/08:110) sets out a renewed public health policy. Public health work should be based both on peoples need for integrity and freedom of choice and on the relationship between the conditions for health and individual prerequisites. The health-promoting element of preventive public health work should be emphasised.
Municipalities and county councils have a key role in public health work and as such should improve and develop their methods and tools. Children, adolescents and older people are particularly high-priority target groups for health-promoting public health work. To intensify and strengthen efforts in especially important areas of public health policy, the Government has set aside SEK 115 million (ca EUR 12.2 million) in 2008 and the same amount per year in 2009 and 2010. This funding will be primarily used to support:
- parents and strengthen parenting skills
- intensify suicide prevention work
- promote healthy eating habits and physical activity
- and reduce tobacco use.
The current objectives and monitoring structure enables good and considerably active public health work to be done.
