Health Inequalities (NWA)

How can the health potential of people in a lower socioeconomic position be better engaged and promoted? This is the key question in a new call for proposals from the NWA. It is an important subject because, although the average life expectancy in the Netherlands has risen and people remain healthy for longer, people with a lower socioeconomic position experience relatively large health inequalities; the so-called “socioeconomic health gaps”. This new NWA programme aims to realise an approach to sustainably improve the health of people with a lower socioeconomic position in society.

Aim and objectives

The goal of Health Inequalities – Promoting the Health Potential of People with Lower Socioeconomic Status is to perform empirical research in several settings, based on a systems approach that reflects the complexity of health inequalities between groups, examining cross-domain approaches designed to sustainably improve the health of people with lower socioeconomic status.
Background

The WRR Policy Brief 7 ‘From Disparity to Potential’ published in 2018 reveals that disease prevention and health promotion policy in the healthcare system has helped make residents of the Netherlands more healthy. Life expectancy has risen and people remain in good health for longer. The Policy Brief also concludes, however, that this does not apply to all groups in Dutch society, and that relatively large health gaps also exist, particularly affecting people with lower socioeconomic status. This means that a great deal of additional health potential is there to be exploited. The present programme is concerned mainly with research into how this health potential can be utilised, and aims to yield results that constitute a breakthrough for policymakers, practitioners and society at large.
Budget and duration

A total budget of € 4.835 million is available for this call for proposals.
Partners

In this new NWA research programme, Health Inequalities – Promoting the Health Potential of People with Lower Socioeconomic Status, NWO and ZonMw provide an opportunity to do empirical research from the perspective of a systems approach.
Information meetings

On 6 November, an online information meeting will be held for researchers and potential consortium participants. During the meeting, the aim, design, conditions and procedure for the call for proposals will be discussed and there will be the opportunity to pose questions. On 13 November, there will be an online matchmaking meeting with disciplines that have not yet formed a consortium. > You can register for the meetings via the registration form on the programme website.