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Public health news from around the WHO European Region.
April 2024
In this issue you will find:
Worrying tobacco use trends for the WHO European Region;
The neglected link between alcohol and breast cancer;
Focus on the healthiest online environment for children;
VIDEOS: breaking myths about palliative care;
UPCOMING conference on mental health in prison settings.
Shouldn’t we know this already? The link between alcohol and breast cancer
Many people across the WHO European Region celebrate 8 March, International Women’s Day, by raising a glass of an alcoholic beverage – oblivious to the fact that drinking alcohol is a major risk factor for the most common cancer among women, breast cancer. Low awareness of this link represents a significant barrier to cancer prevention and a challenge to women’s health across Europe.
Ukrainians are drinking less alcohol and support stronger regulations, new survey finds
Ukraine has seen a fall in alcohol consumption of almost 25% over the last decade. Currently, over a quarter of Ukrainians say they have reduced or stopped consuming alcohol since the start of war in 2022 and many support strict regulations to reduce alcohol consumption further.
These are the findings from a survey to monitor alcohol consumption trends and patterns, as well as attitudes towards alcohol control policies, which was carried out in Ukraine in late 2023. More here
Reducing alcohol use levels is a crucial step towards reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4:
By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and well-being.
NEW REPORT
Rates of tobacco use in the WHO European Region are twice as high as the global average
The results of the WHO Global Tobacco Trends Report 2024 can’t be ignored. It’s time to implement better tobacco control policies across the Region and beyond. The report presents WHO estimates of tobacco use prevalence for 2022, numbers of users, and trends projected to 2030. Estimates are at global, regional and country-level.
RUSSIAN LANGUAGE VERSION AVAILABLE NOW
Nicotine- and tobacco-free schools: policy development and implementation toolkit
This toolkit provides practical advice on developing nicotine- and tobacco-free school policies, offering examples related to communication, education and policy enforcement. The annexes contain templates and information that will support policy development. Now available in Russian.
NEW REPORT - COUNTRY DATA
FEEDcities project: the food environment in cities in eastern Europe and central Asia – Georgia
This technical report presents results from the FEEDcities Project in eastern Europe and central Asia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Tbilisi, Georgia, between November and December 2021 and aimed to evaluate the local urban street food environment. It characterized vending sites, the food offered and the nutritional composition of both commercial and homemade street foods available in this setting. The policy implications of the findings are outlined.
Creating a climate of kindness and non-judgement on obesity and related diseases
On 4 March 2024, World Obesity Day, WHO recognized the Geneva-based WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research in the Field of Education and Long-Term Follow-up Strategies for Chronic Diseases as a dedicated and passionate partner in helping to reduce chronic health problems related to obesity and diabetes. The Centre has prioritized connecting with patients to build confidence and pathways to success through tested methods. For one patient, this approach has been life changing.
EVENT TAKEAWAY
19th Meeting of the European Union Physical Activity Focal Points Network | Brussels 22-23 February 2024
WHO/Europe and the European Commission kicked off a new phase of collaboration to support EU Member States in prioritizing the implementation of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) policies.
The aim is to accelerate significant progress towards global health targets by:
- Aligning with WHO´s Global Action Plan for a 15% reduction in physical inactivity
- Contributing to SDG 3.4 for a one-third reduction in premature NCD deaths by 2030.
REGISTRATION OPEN
Online workshop: Introduction to Stakeholder Network Analysis
21 May 2024, 11:30-12:30 CET
Member States require tools to build effective partnerships and networks among stakeholders to achieve meaningful progress in NCD prevention and management. This workshop will provide guidance to national and local authorities, as well as stakeholders involved in programs and networks dedicated to the prevention and management of NCDs and NCD behavioral risk factors: unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.
This workshop has been developed by researchers from Queen’s University Belfast as part of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Complex Systems and Network Science for Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control.
The workshop is designed for PhD students, researchers and public health professionals
15th conference of the European network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA Europe)
19 – 21 August 2024 | Dublin, Ireland
- Early bird deadline and author registration deadline: 15 May 2024
- Registration deadline: 9 August 2024
The objective of the conference is to engage and connect scientists, leading experts, policy-makers, professionals and other stakeholders to enhance and facilitate the implementation of knowledge in the field of health-enhancing physical activity, and to provide a forum for sharing the latest scientific, practice and policy developments in Europe and beyond.
The programme will consist of keynote lectures, symposia, parallel oral sessions, and short 2-minute pitches, accompanied by social and networking events. The annual meeting of HEPA Europe and parallel sessions of its HEPA working groups will also be hosted during the conference.
INVITATION TO SURVEY
Université Côte d’Azur, in collaboration with WHO/Europe, are inviting you to participate in our comprehensive survey on the promotion of active mobility
This survey introduces the concept of systems thinking and explores its practical application in promoting active mobility. We aim to gather insights on the barriers and facilitators to collaboration within the government, with the ultimate goal of enhancing active mobility policies and initiatives. Target participants are any governmental employees, civil servants, or elected officials in the European Region.
The survey is available in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish.
NEW POSITION PAPER
Making the WHO European Region the healthiest online environment for children
The WHO Regional Office for Europe’s Position Statement on Making the WHO European Region the Healthiest Online Environment for Children aims to support governments in formulating consistent requests to online and technology companies, with the overall goal of securing healthy online environments in which children can thrive. The position paper addresses the need to protect all children up to the age of 18 from violence, exploitation and abuse; highlights the need to include children’s rights in all actions; and addresses privacy and data protection issues.
Managing cancer pain for a better life: a story from the Republic of Moldova
When Dr Liliana Voloceai prescribed opioids to treat pain – or “narcotics” as they are widely called in the Republic of Moldova – to an older patient with advanced stage cervical cancer, the woman’s family viewed this as a sign that she was close to death. However, as time passed, the patient regained her strength and lived longer than all expectations. And that is not a miracle, says Liliana – that is how quality palliative care should work.
WATCH VIDEO🎥
People don’t have to be at the end of life to receive palliative care
Many people across the WHO European Region cannot access palliative care. Dr Julie Ling explains its importance across the lifespan, urging action to incorporate it as part of universal health coverage as a right to health.
Watch other WHO/Europe videos with Dr Ling on palliative care:
Shining light in the darkness: palliative care in a Danish hospice
Arresødal, located in the northern part of Zealand, takes its name from the nearby lake, Arresø – the Danish word “sø” meaning lake. It is a place where life has existed since 5300 BC. Discoveries made by archaeologists include an urn dating back to 2800 BC. Between the western shores of the lake and the castle, old oak trees have stood the passage of time in a landscape Danes would probably describe as hilly, since most of the country is considered flat. The early days of 2024 have covered the Arresødal Hospice and its playground in snow, reflecting the dim late afternoon light with a glow.
Uzbekistan’s first children’s hospice, 1 year on
Located in the Tashkent region, the children’s hospice Taskin (“Solace” in Uzbek) represents a significant milestone in the development of vital children’s palliative care services in Uzbekistan. Knowledge and understanding of children’s palliative care are limited among health-care professionals and the public, and Dr Rustambek Norbaev, Chief Physician at Taskin, hopes to help change that. He is firmly committed to further developing his own skills as a paediatric palliative care specialist, and to building capacity in the medical community.
Protecting a generation: Kazakhstan’s commitment to HPV vaccination
Kazakhstan’s government plans to incorporate the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the national immunization schedule by fall 2024. Recognizing its crucial role in reducing cervical cancer cases and saving lives, it will also develop community engagement strategies to ensure a high uptake of the vaccine. Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cancer among women in Kazakhstan; an estimated 1700 women in the country are diagnosed with the disease annually, with more than 800 women dying from it.
Eliminating cancer in the WHO European Region:
HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer and represents the possibility of eliminating a cancer for the first time in history!
“Time to get checked! Be one step ahead of cancer!” WHO engages with media in Kyrgyzstan
About 5500 new cases of oncologic diseases are registered annually in Kyrgyzstan. It ranks first among central Asian countries in the number of cancer deaths. Early detection of cervical cancer can be achieved by raising public awareness of its early signs, and by regular preventive examinations and screening.
A press café for journalists and civil activists held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, at the end of January focused on preventing the 2 most common cancers among women of reproductive age: cervical cancer and breast cancer.
UPCOMING EVENT (ONLINE STREAMING AVAILABLE)
Health in prisons and places of detention international conference: mental health and well-being in focus
18-19 April 2024 | Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Mental health is a critical concern not only for society as a whole, but also for a particularly vulnerable population: people living in prisons across the WHO European Region. Here, mental health disorders are the most prevalent health condition. The upcoming two-day international conference, "Mental health and well-being in detention centres: prison health is public health," underscores the predicament that while places of detention restrict freedom, they should never compromise people’s access to quality healthcare.
