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Open Access 01-12-2016 | Protocol

The effects of public health policies on population health and health inequalities in European welfare states: protocol for an umbrella review

Authors: Katie Thomson, Clare Bambra, Courtney McNamara, Tim Huijts, Adam Todd

Published in: Systematic Reviews | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

Background

The welfare state is potentially an important macro-level determinant of health that also moderates the extent, and impact, of socio-economic inequalities in exposure to the social determinants of health. The welfare state has three main policy domains: health care, social policy (e.g. social transfers and education) and public health policy. This is the protocol for an umbrella review to examine the latter; its aim is to assess how European welfare states influence the social determinants of health inequalities institutionally through public health policies.

Methods/design

A systematic review methodology will be used to identify systematic reviews from high-income countries (including additional EU-28 members) that describe the health and health equity effects of upstream public health interventions. Interventions will focus on primary and secondary prevention policies including fiscal measures, regulation, education, preventative treatment and screening across ten public health domains (tobacco; alcohol; food and nutrition; reproductive health services; the control of infectious diseases; screening; mental health; road traffic injuries; air, land and water pollution; and workplace regulations). Twenty databases will be searched using a pre-determined search strategy to evaluate population-level public health interventions.

Discussion

Understanding the impact of specific public health policy interventions will help to establish causality in terms of the effects of welfare states on population health and health inequalities. The review will document contextual information on how population-level public health interventions are organised, implemented and delivered. This information can be used to identify effective interventions that could be implemented to reduce health inequalities between and within European countries.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42016025283

Available only for authorised users

The World Bank classifies as high-income countries those countries with GNI per capita income of $12,736 or more for the current 2016 fiscal year. Further details can be found at http://data.worldbank.org/income-level/OEC. The list of OECD countries includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Japan, Korea Republic, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the USA. Additional EU-28 countries not included in the previous list were also added (including Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Romania).

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Title: The effects of public health policies on population health and health inequalities in European welfare states: protocol for an umbrella review
Authors: Katie Thomson
Clare Bambra
Courtney McNamara
Tim Huijts
Adam Todd
Publication date: 01-12-2016
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Systematic Reviews / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 2046-4053
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-016-0235-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

The effects of public health policies on population health and health inequalities in European welfare states: protocol for an umbrella review

Abstract

Background

Methods/design

Discussion

Systematic review registration

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods/design

Discussion

Systematic review registration

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