Development of a harmonized approach for healthier living environments in European local communities through JApreventNCD: Closing the gap between research and practice

Abstract

Background:

The Joint Action Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases (JAPreventNCD) supports strategies and policies to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by addressing health determinants and promoting cross-sectoral collaboration, recognizing the complexity of these challenges; the Healthy Living Environments work stream aims to implement and evaluate interventions targeting NCD determinants at the local level across the life course, and this paper outlines the protocol developed to achieve that goal.

Methods:

We will develop a guide with the Community Action for Health (CAH) methodology but it will be tailored for the specific use of implementing interventions targeting health determinants (e.g. urbanism) and NCD risk factors (tobacco, alcohol), and implemented in local settings across various sectors such as cities, education, workplaces and health services in Europe; while some pilots test new activities, others adapt existing best practices to new contexts, with shared experiences informing the identification of strengths and limitations.

Results:

Fifty-one interventions are expected to adopt the common methodology, enhancing participants’ capacities for positive health outcomes through shared experiences, while identified limitations, opportunities and lessons will inform future health promotion efforts. A web-based platform for capacity building will contain all materials that can be used to expand the current practices and the identification of building blocks of supersetting infrastructures for local-level health promotion will be crucial for maximizing the project’s impact.

Conclusions:

This joint effort, drawing on collective knowledge from diverse countries and institutions as a ‘European laboratory of health promotion experiences’, fosters social innovation in health and requires sustained commitment to achieve meaningful health impacts.