The Swedish National Public Health Policy Report 2010
Authors: Linell Anita , Richardson Matt X , Wamala Sarah 
Published: January 2013

Background.

In 2003, the Swedish Parliament adopted a cross-sectorial national public health policy based on the social determinants of health, with an overarching aim – to create societal conditions that will ensure good health, on equal terms, for the entire population – and eleven objective domains. At that time the policy was globally unique, and serves as guidance for public health practice at the national, regional and local levels. The development of the public health policy and the determinants of health are presented regularly in various reports by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health. This supplement is a condensed version of the 174-page Public Health Policy Report 2010, the second produced since the national policy was adopted in 2003.

Methods.

In order to provide a holistic approach to analysing implemented measures and providing new recommendations within the eleven objective domains of the Swedish national public health policy, we have divided these in three strategic areas. These are: Good Living Conditions, Health-Promoting Living Environments and Living Habits, and Alcohol, Illicit Drugs, Doping, Tobacco and Gambling, each described in the respective introductions for Chapters 3–5. The production of the report was supported by a common analytical model that clarified the societal prerequisites for health in the eleven objective domains. These are factors that can be influenced by political actions in order to create a change. Economic analyses have also been developed to provide a priority basis for political decisions. Analyses of the development of public health determinants were based on data from the National Public Health Survey and data delivered from about 15 various national agencies. Measures that have been implemented between 2004 and 2009 are analysed in details, as the basis for new recommendations for future measures.

Results.

The introduction describes Swedish public health policy in the new millennium and how it has developed, the role of the Swedish National Institute of Public Health and other important stakeholders. Approaches, models and methods used in carrying out the commission to produce the public health policy report are also described. In the following chapters, the trends of important determinants of public health, in relation to the overarching aim and the 11 objective domains as grouped in the three strategic areas, are analysed. The final chapter presents the proposed prioritisation for the large number of recommendations that were made, and a presentation of the annual costs of ill health in Sweden. These are compared with the costs of implementing recommended measures. The final chapter also describes how the Public Health Policy Report 2010 was received and lists the recommendations that the Swedish Government has taken action on as of September 2012.

Conclusions.

Public health trends have generally been stable or positive, although health inequalities persist. Economic analyses demonstrate that ill-health in Sweden costs 12 billion SEK every year, yet a large amount of this ill-health can be prevented. Sixty-eight recommendations were presented in the report. The government’s response to recommendations has been very positive; approximately 60% of the recommendations in the three strategic areas have been adopted less than two years after the Public Health Policy Report 2010 was published.