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Since 2004, the French Institute for Prevention and Health Education (Inpes) has been working on putting together strategies to reduce health inequalities in France. The IUHPE was invited to join this initiative in order to respond to the need to acquire knowledge and share experiences on evidence and effectiveness of strategies and interventions taking place internationally. The IUHPE provided expertise from key network members with experience planning and implementing strategies to reduce social inequalities in health. The project aims to propose concrete and practical answers and suggestions drawn from French and international experience related to action strategies for reducing social inequalities in health.

 

Phase 1: French Annual Conference on Prevention 2008

 

In order to dialogue and exchange with French professionals, the collaboration firstly organised a special session on action strategies to reduce social inequalities in health. An international scientific committee was in charge of designing the session, including selecting keynote presentations, round tables and workshops from global leaders in the field.

 

Presentations are available at: http://www.inpes.sante.fr/jp/cr/2008.asp

 

Phase 2: A manual to shape action

 

To continue the work and vision set out at the Conference, a manual to shape action on the social inequalities in health has been put together with the input from around 50 French and international experts. This publication, directed by Louise Potvin (Université de Monréal), Marie-Josée Moquet (Inpes) and Catherine Jones (IUHPE), contains practical guidelines aimed at both practitioners and decision makers. Its objective is to provide readers with scientifically valid knowledge and evaluated best practices from which project managers can draw inspiration.

 

More than thirty chapters are organised under five sections: an overview of social inequalities in health; public policies – with a number of practical examples from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada; prevention and health care; partnerships and evaluation.

 

The guidebook can be downloaded (in French) at: http://www.inpes.sante.fr/index2.asp?page=CFESBases/catalogue/detaildoc.asp?numfiche=1333

 

An interview (in French) with Louise Potvin is available at: http://www.inpes.sante.fr/CFESBases/equilibre/pdf/Lettre67.pdf