Health 2020: Education and health through the life-course - en
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Sector brief on
Education health
July 2015
Health 2020:
Education and
health through
the life-course
Synergy between sectors:
fostering better education
and health outcomes
Summary
The Health 2020 policy framework has communities and societies, reduce inequal- • improving health literacy and strengthen-
been adopted by all Member States of the ities and support human development, not ing essential life skills, including parenting,
WHO European Region in order to address only improving good health and well-being cooking and critical thinking as well as
Europe’s great social and health challenges, but also enhancing learning and personal sexual and reproductive health and rights;
calling upon the health sector to reach out growth as well as fostering healthy and • encouraging civic engagement and social
to, and work with, all the various sectors resilient communities and economies. inclusion through focusing on social and
and parties in the continuous work of emotional learning, building people’s
improving people’s health and well-being. The education sector can help create self-esteem and confidence;
Investing in education also means investing healthier people and communities by: • supporting individuals in accessing the
in health throughout the life-course. Educa- labour market and reducing their like-
tion is crucial to opportunities for participa- • ensuring availability and access to mean- lihood of exclusion through long-term
tion in society, keeping people in the labour ingful lifelong learning opportunities; unemployment; and
market and supporting their return if they • creating learning environments that are • working with the health sector to reduce
lose employment, improving health literacy both safe and supportive and focus on the gender-based inequalities, including in
and strengthening community resilience. development of the whole person – their roles as key employers of women.
By working together, health and education cognitively, socially, emotionally, mentally
can contribute significantly to individuals, and physically;
Key messages
The goal of Health 2020 is to significantly improve
the health and well-being of populations, reduce health
inequalities, strengthen public health and ensure
people-centred health systems that are universal,
equitable, sustainable and of high quality.
1
Health and wellbeing are
public goods and assets for
human development that
contribute to strong, dynamic
and creative societies.
5 2
Social progress is best mea- Health and well-being are
sured by objective indicators best achieved if the whole of
of health, health equity and government works together,
well-being, and this includes and Health 2020 promotes whole-
the conditions in which people of-government and whole-of-
are born, live and work. society approaches.
4 3
Different countries, cities Health and well-being
and communities are at different can be improved and health
starting-points; each is unique and inequalities reduced, through
can pursue common goals through the right policies and working
different pathways. with other sectors.
2 Health 2020: Education health
Strengthening health and
educational over the lifecourse
In 2012, all 53 Member States in the opportunities and income, better living
European Region adopted Health 2020, conditions, confidence levels and literacy,
the new common European health policy including health literacy. In addition, adult
framework, and committed themselves to learning can have positive effects on life
developing integrative policies that engage satisfaction, mental health and changes
with all sectors in addressing the social in health-supporting behaviour such as
and economic determinants of health and smoking cessation, active lifestyles, healthy
well-being. A life-course approach in the eating and duration of breastfeeding.
pursuit of better health and health equity Offering opportunities for continual edu-
goals includes action at every stage of life – cation as well as a second chance for edu-
preconception, pregnancy, early childhood, cation in adulthood is crucial in promoting
adolescence and transition to adulthood, equity. Getting the courage to go back to
the transition to working life, employment learning is a particular challenge for people
and navigating the modern labour market who have poor experience with education
and as people age. Family, peer groups and in their youth. Investing in accessible educa-
community settings are therefore crucial to tion throughout the life-course is therefore
implementing the life-course approach, and a priority in breaking the cycle of poverty,
the education sector plays a key role in this. exclusion and the effects on people’s health
and well-being.
Education has positive lifelong effects on
health through increased employment
World Health Organization 3
Health 2020:
a framework for action
The goal of Health 2020 is to significantly improve
the health and well-being of populations, reduce
health inequalities, strengthen public health and
ensure people-centred health systems that are uni-
versal, equitable, sustainable and of high quality.
All Member States of the WHO European Region have What makes societies prosper and flourish can also
agreed to monitor progress against six common targets: make people healthy, and policies that recognize this
have more impact.
Building awareness and capacity to make health objec-
1. Reduce premature mortality in tives part of society’s overall socioeconomic and human
development is essential. All policy fields, including
the European Region by 2020 health, need to reform their ways of working and use
new forms and approaches to policy at the global,
2. Increase life expectancy in national and local levels.
the European Region
3. Reduce health inequalities in
the European Region
4. Enhance the wellbeing of the
European Region population
5. Ensure universal health coverage
and the right to the highest
attainable level of health
6. Set national goals and targets
related to health in Member States.
4 Health 2020: Education healthSynergy between sectors:
Education and lifelong learning to
support population health
Strengthening the link between
education and health over the
lifecourse
It is well understood that the quality and women with more schooling, increased compensatory services, to ensure that
number years of education are a crucial birth intervals, increased awareness of good learners receive adequate support to
determinant of health and health literacy feeding practices, greater willingness to overcome disadvantages.
throughout the life-course. The amount seek health care and lower financial barriers
of education and its quality reinforce the to access to health care. The health and education sectors share
effects of early-years development and in- common goals to address the needs of
fluence the subsequent social and economic Today’s globalized economy, with knowl- vulnerable groups and ensure a healthier
well-being, health and other outcomes of edge societies and job markets that future for everyone, especially when politi-
individuals. A growing body of empirical increasingly require high cognitive and aca- cal priorities change and during periods of
research suggests that, when countries demic skills, inherently relies on high-quality economic decline and austerity. Investing
adopt policies to improve education, the education and frequent knowledge update. in education also means investing in health
investment also pays off in healthier be- Exclusion from high-quality education and well-being. The numerous forms of syn-
haviour and longer and healthier lives. For means people become more vulnerable ergy and overlapping objectives and targets
example, studies of compulsory schooling to subsequent adversity and ill health. between the health and education sectors
reforms adopted in several countries in the Education and lifelong learning can equip means that working together enables better
European Region conclude not only that the the population better with skills to adapt to health and social outcomes for individuals,
reforms lead to additional years of complet- a changing working environment, communities and societies.
ed schooling but also that the additional which could thereby influence health.
schooling reduces the population rates
of smoking and obesity. More than three Research studies in education and adult
decades of experience with a whole-school literacy indicate that literacy influences the
approach to health demonstrates effects on ability to access information and navigate in
improving health behaviour, better learning literate environments, affects cognitive and
outcomes, reducing school absenteeism and linguistic abilities and affects self-efficacy.
better school completion. Further lifelong learning (both formal and
informal) improves health literacy, which
Numerous studies have found a positive influences health outcomes. Addressing
association between a mother’s education inequity in educational outcomes means
level and her child’s chances of fulfilling tackling inequity in educational opportuni-
his or her potential. The pathways through ties and in outcomes. This means ensuring
which this operates are varied but include that the same quality of opportunity is
a decrease in teenage pregnancy among open to everyone and, by providing
World Health Organization 5Synergy between sectors:
collaboration to support resilience
and promote equity
How can the sectors
work together?
Health 2020 provides a platform for such KEY AREAS TO EXPLORE TOGETHER INCLUDE:
joint working between the education and
health sectors. Working together, we have • how health and education can align poli-
the power to intervene to address some of cies that benefit both sectors and serve the
today’s greatest health challenges, including whole person;
health inequalities, social exclusion and • how to pursue the shared goal of tackling
support sustainable development, while health and educational inequities through
ensuring that individuals and communities the integrated long-term efforts of the
are able to fulfil their highest potential. In health and education sectors;
turn, intersectoral collaboration promotes • how the health and education sectors can
and supports educational attainment by work together in times of economic or
fostering healthy students, healthy adults external pressure; and
and healthy learning environments. • how to optimize outcomes in health and
education equity by strengthening the
partnerships between the health, social,
education and employment sectors.
How can education • Build the foundations for health literacy (including media literacy) in early
childhood and adolescence
and lifelong learning • Develop and support health-promoting schools approaches
make a difference • Address the barriers to adult learning, including older ages, gender equity and
work–life balance
to health?
• Include in education and lifelong learning the population groups at the highest
risk of experiencing multiple exclusionary processes, especially people in rural
areas, people with disabilities, migrants and minority ethnic groups such as Roma
• Ensure that all adults have basic skills, especially reading and writing skills, and
complete secondary education also with a focus on practical learning
• Provide options for secondary education with adequate work–life balance
6 Health 2020: Education healthCollaborating to improve the
well-being of people and communities
THE CHALLENGE THE RESPONSE NEEDED
Too often both sectors serve the same Both sectors examine and better understand via
individual, for similar issues, via varied and dialogue the core mandates, constraints, attributes,
frequently competing practices and funding processes and characteristics of each system to better
integrate within them
For the most vulnerable young people and The health and education sector work in partnership
adults, educational and health challenges with other sectors to create coherence with active
coexist with other social challenges labour-market policies, including employment creation,
reschooling and retraining, lifelong learning and other
social protection measures such as affordable housing,
childcare and income support
Children and young adults who have faced Jointly adopt participatory and community-based
disruption in their learning may be reluctant approaches, fostering understanding among profes-
to resume education sionals across the sectors on why people do not actively
engage in learning activities as well as the systemic and
structural barriers and policy enablers for learning
In times of societal and economic change, Work together to focus on joint outcomes that benefit
individual and community resilience is key each sector and the individual, such as strengthening
literacy, including media literacy and health literacy,
using the levers available to both sectors as well as
in partnership with others, to strengthen community
participation in decision-making
Social challenges require coherence across Work together across all levels of governance, including
policies and new partnerships advocating for a whole-of-government approach that
would include common goals such as well-being as
measures of national progress
How can health make a • Address the health-related barriers to student learning and school success,
focusing on preventing school dropout, chronic student absences, key tran-
difference to education sitions and students at the highest risk of school or family difficulties through
and lifelong learning? programmes such as accessible family planning and services, oral health pro-
grammes, child vision and hearing assessments, school meals and others
• Ensure equal access to high-quality health services emphasizing disease
prevention, health promotion and integration with child and family services
from other sectors as part of comprehensive health in all policies approaches
World Health Organization 7Using Health 2020 as a platform for
joint work: a political mandate and
evidence base
The Health 2020 policy framework has a Data indicate that the number of years of
political mandate. It has been adopted by all formal schooling completed is the most
Reducing health inequalities
European Member States and can be adapt- important correlate of good health. Accord-
To reduce health inequalities, addressing
ed to the different settings and realities that ing to the Human development report 2003,
the following is a good start:
make up the European Region. It describes education, health, nutrition and water and
how health and well-being can be advanced, sanitation are mutually reinforcing, with
sustained and measured through action that investment in any one contributing to better
LIFE-COURSE STAGE
creates social cohesion, security, a good outcomes in the others.
• Social protection for women, mothers-
work–life balance, good health and good ed-
to-be and young families
ucation. It calls on the health sector to reach It is also well documented that health affects
• Universal, high-quality and affordable
out to the many different actors within and education. Research demonstrates that,
early-years education and care system
outside government and provides inspiration when children’s basic nutritional and fitness
• Eradication of unsafe work and access
and direction on addressing the complex needs are met, they attain higher achieve-
to employment and high quality work
health challenges of the 21st century. The ment levels. Similarly, using school-based
• Coherent and effective intersectoral
framework confirms values, is informed by and school-linked health centres that ensure
action to tackle inequalities at older ages
evidence and identifies strategic directions access to needed physical, mental and oral
and essential actions. It builds on the expe- health care improves attendance, behaviour
WIDER SOCIETY
riences gained through previous Health for and achievement. Developing a positive
• Improved social protection, according
All policies and guides the actions of both social and emotional climate increases
to need
Member States and the Regional Office. academic achievement, reduces stress and
• Co-creation and partnership with those
improves positive attitudes toward oneself
targeted, civil society and civic partners
Clear evidence indicates the association be- and others.
• Action to reduce social exclusion
tween levels of educational attainment and
• Gender equity approach
health outcomes, most profoundly demon- The public health challenges faced by
strated by disproportionately higher rates of countries of the European Region require
BROADER CONTEXT
premature mortality and morbidity among an effective life-course strategy that gives
• Promoting equity through tax and trans-
people of lower educational background, priority to new interdisciplinary approaches
fer payments
irrespective of other factors. People with to promoting health and preventing disease,
• Long-term planning through links with
less education are more likely to experience based on the principles of engagement and
other policies
employment difficulties, poverty and social empowerment. Governments that invest in
exclusion, receive inadequate health support, education also invest in health. Health 2020
SYSTEMS
reside in hazardous environments and live sees the education sector as a co-producer of
• Greater coherence across sectors
shorter and more disability-burdened lives health; a setting in which healthy behaviour
• Comprehensive responses
than people who have enjoyed better and is learned and promoted; a policy area with
• Regular reporting and public scrutiny
more schooling. The link between educa- ownership over consumable goods that are
tion and health comprises a challenge for key determinants of health; a physical and
a society at large and not just for the most social environment that provides safety and
disadvantaged people, because more equal models healthy, sustainable practices; an
societies perform better on all levels of employer of a key workforce for children’s
human development, including health. health and well-being; a trainer of profes-
By working together, the health and educa- sionals who play a vital role in the health
tion sectors can create synergy between the and well-being of the future society; and a
two and create an enabling environment that partner in striving for investment in sectors
enables and motivates individuals to fulfil that contribute to developing social capital
their potential. and gender equity.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION | REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE
UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen ø, Denmark
Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 E-mail: contact@euro.who.int
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