The Cost-of-Living Crisis: Implications for Public Health and the identification of Solutions

WHOAll RHN Round Table Webinar Co-organised with Wales

The World Health Organization (WHO) All-Regions for Health Network (RHN) webinar took place on the 21st of September 2022, facilitated by Wales (the WHO Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Wellbeing at Public Health Wales). With 55 participants from across the network attending the session focused on ‘The Cost-of-Living Crisis: Implications for Public Health and the identification of Solutions’. The webinar:

  • Provided an overview and exploration of the dimensions of the issue, how they impact health and what to do about it
  • Explored regional experiences

The lessons learnt from this meeting will feed into the 27th annual meeting of the Regions for Health Network (Brussels 5-7 December 2022), and the “WHO/Europe Solutions Forum on Health in the Well-being Economy” (Copenhagen 1–2 March 2023) and further technical and high-level policy dialogues, webinars, and round tables.

The report provides an overview and exploration of:

  1. The dimensions of the issue with four critical areas being housing, employment, food, and fuel
  2. How they impact population groups disproportionately, health and well-being and mental health implications
  3. What to do about the cost-of-living crisis by drawing on policy responses and investments to enhance health and social care systems
  4. Regional experiences across North and South Europe

The report can be accessed here

Powerpoint 1

Powerpoint 2

Powerpoint 3

Powerpoint 4

Presentations

Opening and setting the scene: Dr Bettina Menne, Coordinator RHN and SCI, WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development (5 min) Introducing the scope of the webinar.
 
Briefly introducing speakers, and stating that there is a Q&A at the end, and to please raise questions through the chat.
The Economics:  Prof Cathal O’Donoghue, Established Chair, Social and Public Policy, National University of Ireland, Galway (10min) Prof Cathal O’Donoghue provides an overview of updated evidence on the COLC from an economic perspective.
Overview of the action Welsh Government are taking to mitigate the impact of the COLC: David Willis, Head of Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government. (8 min) David Wills provides an update of the situation and solutions that are being applied in Wales to confront the COLC.
The International Horizon Scanning and Learning Report on COLC: Dr Emily Clark, Specialty Registrar in Public Health, Public Health Wales. (8 min) Dr Clark gives an overview of the horizon scanning report and the international findings.
Mental health in times of crisis in Italian regions: Maria Luisa Scattoni, Researcher, Istituto Superiore della Sanità (ISS). (8 min) Luisa Scattoni provides an overview of the interactions between mental health and crisis contexts, with a focus on youth.
The well-being economy: Chris Brown, Head of the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development. (5 minutes)
(no presentation available)		 Chris Brown will describe the work carried out to support the well-being economy as a potential way forward to improve resilience and confront the current crisis.

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