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Invitation to the European Health Literacy Conference

Registration has closed!

More than 175 participants from 20 countries have signed up for this event. 

See aim of conference and programme below. 

THE EUROPEAN HEALTH LITERACY CONFERENCE 22-23 November 2011

Introduction

The European Health Literacy Project 2009-2012 aims to measure health literacy in eight European countries and share the outcome through national, European and international networks. As a concluding event a European Health Literacy Conference is organized in Brussels. The European Health Literacy Project is suported by a grant from the European Agency of Health and Consumers.

Objective

The Conference pursues a two-fold objective:

• Key policy makers understand the importance of health literacy
• Key policy makers recognize that health literacy should be a priority in the EU health agenda and included in the new health program (2014 onwards)

Format

The conference takes place during one and half day in the European Parliament hosted by MEP Christofer Fjellner, EPP, Sweden, MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher, ALDE, Ireland, and Karin Kadenbach, S&D, Austria.

The focus for day one is on policy with opening remarks by European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli, and one of the co-hosts, MEP Christof Fjellner, EPP, Sweden. Day two is opened by the other co-host, Pat the Cope Gallagher, Ireland, and will focus the results of the survey and the health literacy policy implications at national, European and global level to make recommendations for the European Health 2020 strategy. Press briefing material with country-specific findings of the health literacy survey, interview contacts and policy requirements for improved health literacy will be disseminated during the conference at day one.

Introduction to health literacy

The introductory panel should briefly explain the concept of health literacy and illustrate its importance. Furthermore, key findings of the health literacy survey would be introduced to give an overview of the state of health literacy within the EU.

Panel discussions embracing health literacy in different perspectives

The introductory panel would be followed by discussions on how to improve health literacy in different settings, taking up ongoing policy topics such as health and media, health at work or life-long learning. Rather than giving actual presentations, panelists would be asked to briefly share their views and experiences, as well as to formulate a “wish list” of improvements in their specific field.

These panels would be introduced by relevant findings from the survey and each panel would be jointly chaired by two policymakers from the European Commission and the European Parliament. By granting them such a prominent role, rather “lengthy” presentations of current policy initiatives would be avoided, whilst at the same time their attention on the issues at hand would be more focused. Furthermore, such a “double act” would induce a kind of cooperation between European Commission and Parliament, which can only be beneficial.

In the final panel, the chairs of the preceding panels, as well as selected other speakers would be asked to discuss what can be done at EU, national and regional level to improve health literacy in Europe, making initial policy recommendations. This session would be moderated by a professional facilitator.

Health literacy policies and applications – across the world and in Europe

The focus of day two is health literacy policies and applications across the world and across Europe. The idea is to give an insight to international policy developments in the field and explore how it can be applied in the European region in terms of further integration and action.

The first session concerns the international developments including confirmed speakers from the US and the Asia-Pacific region. The second session embraces the health literacy policy developments in EU member states with show cases of existing initiatives and good practices. The third session aims for a concluding discussion on how to move on advancing health literacy in Europe by posing the question to different stakeholders: How can we make it happen in EU?

The European Health Literacy Conference is organized by Maastricht University on behalf of the HLS-EU consortium and is partly supported by MSD.

Tuesday, 22^nd November 2011

23^rd November 2011

The programme is subject to change

The European Health Forum Gastein

A health literacy session was organized by Maastricht University at the European Health Forum Gastein 6-9 October 2010

The Dutch conference on health literacy in Amersfoort 9th September 2010