Current Topics

Health Inequalities

Despite the improvement in the general state of health of the population, and against the backdrop of widely differing welfare and health systems, we can see disparities in health and life expectancy in all European countries.
The reduction of health inequalities is a major challenge for the public health systems in the European Union.
For this reason, the BZgA has for many years been involved in European projects that aim to reduce inequalities in health:

Tackling the Gradient: Applying Public Health Policies to Effectively Reduce Health Inequalities amongst Families and Children
DETERMINE - An EU Consortium for Action on the Socio-Economic Determinants of Health
Closing the Gap: Strategies for Action to Tackle Health Inequalities in Europe
Tackling Health Inequalities and Social Exclusion
Tackling Inequalities in Health

Link: http://www.health-inequalities.eu/

Reproductive and Sexual Health

The BZgA has been a Collaborating Centre of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in the field of reproductive and sexual health since 2003. In this capacity, the BZgA provides the WHO Regional Office for Europe with expertise, particularly in the field of sexuality education. The WHO CC makes an important contribution to the networking of experts in the field of sexuality education, thereby supporting the work of the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
The specific joint work plan of BZgA and WHO includes the provision of national data, e.g. on youth sexuality, the organisation and implementation of congresses and meetings, the development and dissemination of quality standards, and the transfer of expertise relating to the development and implementation of prevention programmes.

In the framework of this collaboration, the BZgA and the WHO organised an international conference on the subject of "Youth Sex Education in a Multicultural Europe" in 2006. In October 2010 the "Standards for sexuality education in Europe", that were developed in cooperation with WHO Regional office for Europe and a committee of experts from nine European countries, were launched in Madrid.

The website of the Collaborating Centre at www.bzga-whocc.de provides information on the national and international work of the BZgA and the WHO in the field of sexuality education and family planning.
Link to the WHO-CC website: http://www.bzga-whocc.de/

Quality Assurance in HIV Prevention

In the fight against AIDS, the 2008 World AIDS Conference in Mexico once again clearly demonstrated that neither a vaccine, nor a curative therapy will be available in the foreseeable future. Therefore, HIV prevention continues to play a central role in the efforts to contain the epidemic.
But, what makes for effective HIV prevention? How can we assure the quality of measures and interventions against the spread of HIV? And how can a national prevention strategy be optimally structured in the individual countries?
These issues were addressed by a European conference, held by the BZgA and the WHO/Regional Office for Europe in October 2008. One of the results of this conference was the formation of an expert group comprising representatives of national and international organisations that have set themselves the target of improving and strengthening quality assurance in HIV prevention.
The documents and results of this conference, and information relating to the further discussion process, can be found here:
Link: http://www.bzga.de/who-conference

Contact:

Yvette Shajanian Zarneh
yvette.shajanian-zarneh(at)bzga.de