Public Health

Healthy ageing Key area

Healthy ageing

Every person should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. A longer life brings with it opportunities to pursue new activities such as an interesting education, a new career or pursuing a long neglected passion. Yet health and participation opportunities for people differ. Our genes can influence our health, and sometimes the environment in which we live, or our own behaviour can be harmful to us.

In our Public Health research we are curious about the interplay between the development of individuals and changing social structures across the entire span of their lives. Participating in communities can give us a sense of meaning and belonging. Research suggests this is key in the prevention of health decline.

Prevention and participation

When we prevent health issues from occuring, we can spend more of our years in good health. In our focus on Public Health, our research helps detect health issues as early as possible and responds appropriately to avoid the development of disease. It also promotes health and participation opportunities for people to increase social and work participation in case of health problems.

Our findings:

help to inform, educate, and empower people about health issues,
helps to mobilize partnerships and to identify and solve health problems,
influence policies and rules that support individual and community health efforts,
enforce laws, rules and regulations that protect public health and the environment and ensure safety.