https://www.mdu.se/

Background

Since the Ottawa Charter (1986) the Nordic countries have been in the forefront in developing health promotion (HP) theory, research, policy and practice. An informal network of Nordic researchers organized five Nordic HP research conferences since 1996. In 2007, the NHPRN was established in cooperation with the Nordic School of Public Health, and three more conferences have been established.

Aims

The aims of the NHPRN is to develop: the theoretical understanding of HP; Nordic research cooperation; cooperation within education on a master and PhD level; and to organize the Nordic Health Promotion Research

Conferences

Organization

The network members constitute a balanced representation of the Nordic countries: It is interdisciplinary with junior and senior researchers. It organizes biannual meetings at WHO’s premises in Copenhagen. The network is organized in working groups engaged in topics central for HP research and practice. Current working groups are Healthy aging; Health literacy; Equity in health; Empowerment; and Workplace health promotion. Working groups are not static and may change depending on the interests for the network members.

Mode of working

In the biannual meetings, lectures on state-of-the art issues are given by leading researchers and policy makers. Participants engage in theoretical discussions in plenum and working groups. The working groups perform research. Collaboration finds place at the meetings and through e-mail correspondence and web meetings. The working groups take part in the planning of conferences and organize workshops in line with their research interests.

Production

The network has published the book Health literacy: teori och praktik i hälsofrämjande arbete (Ringsberg KC Olander E, Tillgren P. 2015), two supplements in Scandinavian Journal of Public Health (2010 and 2014) and several scientific articles. The network has organized three scientific conferences with a Nordic perspective: 2009;

The role of health promotion in the transition of the Nordic welfare states (Gothenburg, Sweden); 2013: Promoting health in everyday settings (Vestfold, Norway); 2016: 20 years of health promotion research in the Nordic countries (Jyväskylä, Finland). A fourth conference is planned for 2019 with the topic Sustainable health promotion (Roskilde, Denmark).

Future

The network is open for PhD students and HP researchers working in the Nordic countries. The NHPRN is a working network and all participants must therefore commit to the work of the network and participate in its meetings. Researchers interested in participating in the network may obtain further information by contacting the network chairman Sami Kokko (sami.p.kokko@jyu.fi) or 1.1.2017 onwards Anne Liveng (aliveng@ruc.dk); seeing the website http://nhprn.wordpress.com; and/or reading Ringsberg KC., The Nordic Health Promotion Research Network, Scand J Publ Health 2015;43(Suppl 16):51-56.