Abstract
Background
Within a sustainable development framework, health is envisioned to integrate across all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as both a precondition and an outcome. Yet, to this day, there is no consensus over which SDG targets are relevant for health and wellbeing. While WHO identified health-related targets across all SDGs, inputs from the academic community are more conservative. Using policy documents (PDs), this study aims to build a comprehensive list of health-related SDG targets for the WHO European Region.
Methods
PDs endorsed during the 2015-2018 Sessions of the Regional Committee for Europe were selected. A supplementary list of PDs was built reviewing the content of progress reports. 32 PDs were selected following the inclusion criteria of validity and scope. With the collaboration of the Sustainable and Development Programme of WHO EURO, a working list of health-related targets was built. A content analysis of PDs was used to test this list and discover additional targets.
Results
Outside SDG 3, we identified 55 health-related targets distributed across all SDGs (22 additional to the working list). Emerging fields circumscribed to SDG 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, and 17 - in subjects related to food safety and sustainable production, health and sustainable literacy, social welfare policies, adequate housing, sustainable and inclusive communities, climate change resilience, accountable and effective institutions, participatory decision making, knowledge sharing, operational sciences, and partnerships for sustainable development.
Conclusions
By performing an analysis beyond the semantics of the SDGs, we constructed a more comprehensive and accurate representation of how health and wellbeing are embodied in the 2030 Agenda. Previous studies have used the explicit content of the SDGs, hindering the possibility to find additional connections. PDs constitute a valuable resource to advance public health within a sustainable development framework.
Key messages
PDs cross-sectoral approach contribute to understand and acknowledge the connection between health and a variety of non-health topics. Health in the 2030 Agenda relates to targets across all SDGs.