People in difficult socio-economic circumstances seem almost inaccessible to health interventions say scientists in South Holland. While they need those interventions the most: they live on average six years shorter than others. Their housing conditions also influence this.
What actions can you use to steer towards reducing health inequalities? Professors Andrea Evers, Leiden University, Machiel van Dorst, TU Delft and lecturer Anneloes van Staa, Hogeschool Rotterdam are involved in the conference Action in the Delta on the 8th of April.
They previously shared their vision in the paper ‘Healthy Society, towards a healthy society for all.’ Based on practice-based research in South Holland cities, Anneloes van Staa explains how to reach the other side of the health gap:
'You have to see what someone comes up with on their own, looking wider than just medical. You have to find out: what is going on in this life? We have developed a simple visual tool for that: the Self-Management Web.'
Financial distress, as often happens, caused a cascade of problems.’
'For example: someone with a kidney transplant and far too much weight comes to the outpatient clinic. Instead of immediately discussing losing weight, the nurse specialist presents the form. Then it turns out: this lady could not even collect her pills from the pharmacy because she had no bicycle and no money for the bus. Financial distress, as often happens, caused a cascade of problems.'
Andrea Evers, professor of Healthy Society at Leiden University, argues for a broad view of what health is and what interventions can help reduce health inequalities. This often turns out to be a socio-economic, much more than just a medical, issue: ‘It is important to address a multitude of social aspects of health, from debt relief and housing conditions, for example, to care for vulnerable groups and insights on behavioural influence and prevention.’
Designing living environments is also important for public health. How people live and how neighbourhoods are designed affect health. The garden villages from back in the day, designed for factory workers, but also the reconstruction districts with green areas and space for children to play safely, bear witness to this. Machiel van Dorst, professor of Environmental Behaviour and Design at TU Delft: ‘The most important environment are your fellow human beings. Social interaction promotes mental health. The built environment can promote or hinder social interaction. Front gardens, for example, help: if you sit in them or weed, you meet your neighbours. A row of cars in front of houses, on the other hand, does not help.'
Read more in the white paper Towards a healthy society for all. Meet Andrea Evers, Anneloes van Staa and Machiel van Dorst on 8 April 2025 at the Action in the Delta conference in TU Delft's Aula. Join the discussion about a healthy South Holland.
