Gaining health : analysis of policy development in European ...

In 2008, the target funding from the central budget (within
the framework of the NPHP) for health promotion and
NCD prevention is less than US$ 1 per year per inhabitant.
The level of overall per capita expenses related to health
promotion and disease prevention is roughly US$ 10 per
year.
The process has begun of releasing local resources for
health promotion, but the current situation is still far from
satisfactory.
In relation to political, economic and social change, a slow
but clear move towards decentralization might be expected.
The EU integration process might accelerate this
tendency. The main developmental trend will be towards
subsidiarity, with increasing importance of local, subregional
and regional levels, also concerning resources and capacities
for health promotion and disease prevention. Between
2008 and 2010, Hungary can expect an important investment
of US$ 25 million from the EU structural funds for
developmental activities in health promotion and disease
prevention. This is a unique opportunity for developing
capacities and actions in the field of NCD prevention, which
is a declared priority of the programme. In the longer term,
questions of sustainability have to be addressed, hopefully in
the context of a healthier national budget.
3.3. Information and research
Since health promotion and disease prevention are not institutionally
included either in medical or in social research,
they lie in general at the periphery of Hungarian research
activities. Nevertheless, some exceptions exist, such as the
Ányos Jedlik Programme, which is financed by the National
Research and Technological Development Agency and
includes preventive programmes and health policy research.
Some research activities, mainly in the epidemiological field,
are carried out by different teams and published in national
scientific reviews, as well as being presented at the annual
conferences of the Hungarian Scientific Society of Public
Health. Research activities related to health promotion
and NCD prevention are based at the various university
departments of public health, medicine and social sciences,
the leading role being taken by the Debrecen School of
Public Health.
Hungary has relatively detailed information on the lifestyles
of the population and on health determinants, including
inequality issues. Lifestyle issues such as nutrition, tobacco,
mental health and coping, together with their process of
change, have been the focus of research activities for many
years. There is no research activity, however, on health
promotion capacity or on infrastructural analysis.
Hungarian participation in international research and networking
is satisfactory. Hungarian researchers are involved
in research financed by the European Commission under
the Research Framework Programmes and the Public
Health Action Programme. Hungary participates in other
international research projects on quality of life, social status,
poverty and deprivation.
There is hope that from 2008, owing to the availability of
EU structural funds, NCD prevention research will gain
greater financial support and the results will be used by
health policy decision-makers. It is planned to establish a
countrywide, health observatory system at regional level
with the participation of the medical universities and the
public health services. This will be a very important step
forward in NCD information and research.
4. Forces facilitating or obstructing disease
prevention
4.1. Strengths and weaknesses within the health
system
In shaping policies to tackle NCD, the conflict of interest
between curative and preventive activities does not seem
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Case studies: policy development in countries for tackling noncommunicable diseases