The Role of Cohesion Policy Funds in Decreasing the Health Gaps Measured by the EURO-HEALTHY Population Health Index

Paula Santana, Ângela Freitas, Cláudia Costa, Iwa Stefanik, Gonçalo Santinha, Thomas Krafft and Eva Pilot
Additional contact information
Paula Santana: Department of Geography and Tourism, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Coimbra, 3004-530 Coimbra, Portugal
Ângela Freitas: Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), University of Coimbra, 3004-530 Coimbra, Portugal
Cláudia Costa: Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), University of Coimbra, 3004-530 Coimbra, Portugal
Iwa Stefanik: Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), University of Coimbra, 3004-530 Coimbra, Portugal
Gonçalo Santinha: Centre of Studies in Geography and Spatial Planning (CEGOT), University of Coimbra, 3004-530 Coimbra, Portugal
Thomas Krafft: Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Eva Pilot: Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: Social, economic, and environmental differences across the European Union significantly affect opportunities to move forward in achieving greater equity in health. Cohesion Policy (CP) funds can contribute positively through investments in the main determinants of health. The aim of this study is to analyze to what extent the planned investments for 2014–2020 are addressing the regional health gaps, in light of the population health index (PHI), a multidimensional measure developed by the EURO-HEALTHY project. The operational programs of all regions were analyzed, namely, the CP planned investments by field of intervention. Analysis of variance was performed to examine whether the regional scores in the PHI dimensions were statistically different across regions with different levels of development (measured by gross domestic product (GDP)). Results show that 98% of regions with worse performances on the PHI are less developed regions. Overall, all regions present planned investments in intervention fields linked to dimensions appraised within the PHI (e.g., employment, income, education, pollution). Yet, more needs to be done to focus regional investments in health determinants where regions still lag behind. The PHI has the potential to inform future CP restructuring, providing evidence to extend the current eligibility criteria to other dimensions beyond the GDP.

Keywords: European Union; regional health inequalities; cohesion policy funds; determinants of health; population health index; less developed regions; intervention field (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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