About Future Prevention & Health
‘Future Prevention & Health’ provides a platform for researchers to unite in exploring new and innovative ways of addressing national and global health challenges. The holistic approach facilitates engagement of domain specific experts in a unified effort that will establish novel insights and accelerate the gain of new knowledge. Examples of important themes are physical and mental health, inequality, climate change, and tomorrow’s food production.
A healthy life – an opportunity for everyone
A healthy life should be a possibility for everyone but currently there is a long way to go before this is a reality. Physical and mental health is challenged, with stark individual and societal consequences.
Prevention and health promotion traditionally focus on the individual and on risk factors such as diet, smoking, alcohol, and exercise. However, the challenges are far more complex and require an interdisciplinary approach to develop new, effective solutions.
The University of Copenhagen “Future Prevention & Health” initiative will address the complexity of national and global health challenges through researcher-driven networks. The networks will engage with external stakeholders to develop new responses to well-known health challenges.
National and global challenges
It is a paradox that a well-functioning, prosperous society such as Denmark faces significant challenges to mental health and well-being, as well as to physical health as exemplified by the accelerating prevalence of obesity. Consequently, the healthcare system is under pressure, and from a socio-economic perspective it is imperative that we address the causes of mental and physical illness. Likewise, it is paradoxically that with such large redistribution of income in Denmark, there are still social differences in health outcomes.
Globally, health challenges related to climate change include the following important themes: Increased heat-strain, new disease patterns, changing food production conditions and climate-related migration.
Risk is often quantified as life-expectancy, but quality of life is of equally high importance. ‘Future Prevention & Health’ embraces “adding life to years” as well as “adding years to life”.
Inequalities threaten societies. Inequality in health is no exception. An important element of this initiative is the search for cost-efficient solutions to inequalities in health.
Holistic approach to complex challenges
Health challenges are often a result of complex systems involving multiple interacting factors. Mental well-being and obesity are examples of “wicked problems” where no single action can solve the challenge. Wicked problems call for holistic research where domain experts jointly address challenges at every level – from molecular constraints and possibilities to societal structures and priorities.
By combining disciplines and methods across departments and faculties, in combination with engaging external stakeholder, the research networks establish the novel synergies required to address complex problems.
Implementation is key
Another important element of the mission is to develop and evaluate innovative solutions in real life. Insight provides the basis for implementation of knowledge-based initiatives, but successful transfer of knowledge from research to society is a complex process. Research networks are therefore supported in bringing research to individuals and to society.
Results: better opportunities for a healthy life
The research networks established, the engagement of external stakeholders and the focus on implementation will create the most benefit for the most people.