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Advocating for Health Promotion Policy in Norway: The Role of the County Municipalities

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  • Elisabeth Fosse

    (Department of Health Promotion and Development, University of Bergen, Christiesgate 13, 5020 Bergen, Norway)

  • Marit Helgesen

    (Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR), Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, PO BOX 4 St. Olavs plass, NO-0130 Oslo, Norway)

Abstract

Background: The Norwegian National government has developed public health policies that reflect health promotion principles, and these are particularly reflected in the recent Public Health Act (PHA). The counties (CMs) have been given a central role in the implementation of the PHA, and in this paper we explore how the CMs fill this role. Methods: Qualitative as well as quantitative data have been applied; a survey, a document study and personal interviews have been conducted. Results: The findings show that the CMs find it challenging to influence all sectors to change the focus from classical lifestyle issues to a focus on the social determinants of health. The Directorate of Health has the main responsibility for implementing the PHA, but the signals from the Directorate are not always consistent. The Directorate still launches campaigns and interventions to improve diets and stimulate physical activity, without launching them in the context of the PHA. Conclusion: The CMs regard the supporting role toward the municipalities as their highest priority. However, they find it hard to anchor and integrate the principles of the PHA. They explain this partly with the sectorised government organisation.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabeth Fosse & Marit Helgesen, 2017. "Advocating for Health Promotion Policy in Norway: The Role of the County Municipalities," Societies, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-10, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:7:y:2017:i:2:p:5-:d:95614
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tallarek née Grimm, Marie J. & Helgesen, Marit K. & Fosse, Elisabeth, 2013. "Reducing social inequities in health in Norway: Concerted action at state and local levels?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 228-235.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liliana Leone & Caterina Pesce, 2017. "From Delivery to Adoption of Physical Activity Guidelines: Realist Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, October.
    2. Paul Cairney & Sean Kippin & Emily St Denny & Heather Mitchell, 2022. "Policy design for territorial equity in multi‐level and multi‐sectoral political systems: Comparing health and education strategies," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 1051-1061, October.
    3. Olin Oldeide & Elisabeth Fosse & Ingrid Holsen, 2019. "Collaboration for drug prevention: Is it possible in a “siloed” governmental structure?," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 1556-1568, October.
    4. Disa Tell & Olin Oldeide & Torill Larsen & Ellen Haug, 2022. "Lessons Learned from an Intersectoral Collaboration between the Public Sector, NGOs, and Sports Clubs to Meet the Needs of Vulnerable Youths," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, January.

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