THE HISTORY
Looking Back
Established in 2010
Manifiesting health literacy on the European agenda
Health Literacy Europe was launched during the European Health Forum Gastein in Austria, October 2010 as a sustainable platform for advancing health literacy in Europe through knowledge exchange and networking at national, regional and international levels. The network is a spin-off of the European Health Literacy project, which took place from 2009-2012.
Milestones
Expanding the European Health Literacy community
Health Literacy Europe hosted a series of European Health Literacy Conferences which gather stakeholders from policy, research, education and practice.
EUROPEAN HEALTH LITERACY CONFERENCES
1st EUROPEAN HEALTH LITERACY CONFERENCE
The first European Health Literacy Conference was held 22-23 November 2011 at the Natural History Museum in Brussels. It was the final conference of the European Health Literacy Project (HLS-EU) with the aim of launching the results of the European Health Literacy Survey and discussing the implications for the future. The conference was co-hosted by the members of the European Parliament, Mr Christofer Fjellner, Mrs Karin Kadenbach and Mr Pat the Cope Gallagher.
The European Commissioner for Health and Consumers Mr Dalli opened the conference highlighting the importance of addressing the health literacy gap in Europe.
The 200 participants represented 15 countries and a wide range of European and national institutions and organisations.
The conference was sponsored by the European Health Literacy Project, the Executive Agency for Health and Consumers and MSD.
2nd EUROPEAN HEALTH LITERACY CONFERENCE
The Department of Public Health, Aarhus University and Health Literacy Europe hosted the successful 2nd European Health Literacy Conference in Aarhus on 10-11 April 2014. The theme was Health Literacy in populations and settings - developing the research base.
The aim of the 2nd European Health Literacy Conference was to promote health literate populations and societies by • Sharing evidence-based research on health literacy measurement, interventions and policies • Providing a platform for knowledge-exchange for professionals working in the field of health literacy in Europe stimulating wider collaboration • Providing a cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary approach to health literacy by creating opportunities for capacity building and professionalization in policy, research and practice.
The conference organizers were Health Literacy Europe in collaboration with Aarhus University, HLS-EU consortium and KongresKompaniet. The pre-conferences were organised by HLS-EU consortium, Diabetes Literacy consortium, IROHLA consortium, The Nordic Health Literacy Network (NorHLnet) and Working Internationally on Social Development and Health in European Schools and Families (WISHES). The conference was sponsored by IROHLA, MSD, The Diabetes Literacy project, Danish Society of Public Health and RegionMidtJylland.
Helle Terkildsen Maindal, Conference chair, Aarhus University, Denmark
Kristine Sørensen, Executive Chair, Health Literacy Europe
#2EHLC
3rd EUROPEAN HEALTH LITERACY CONFERENCE
Health Literacy Europe, the IROHLA Consortium and the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) organized the 3rd European Health Literacy Conference at the Management Centre Europe in Brussels, Belgium from 17-19 November 2015.
The theme for the 3rd European Health Literacy Conference highlighted the development of health literacy during the life course. During the conference, researchers, practitioners and policymakers shared evidence-based actions, practices and policies in the area of health literacy and discussed health literacy as an instrument to tackle inequities in health across Europe.
The conference was sponsored by University Medical Center Groningen, Provincie Groningen and MSD.
Menno Reijneveld, Conference Chair, University Medical Centre Groningen
Jaap Koot, Scientific Chair, University Medical Centre Groningen
Kristine Sørensen, Executive Chair, Health Literacy Europe
#3EHLC
4th EUROPEAN HEALTH LITERACY CONFERENCE
The 4th European Health Literacy Conference took place in Dublin in Ireland. It was hosted by Health Literacy Europe and University College Dublin 13-15 March 2019. The theme was Building health literate societies. More than 350 participants joined from across the globe.
The conference was endorsed by CEMPAC, European Health Futures Forum, and NALA and it was sponsored by University College Dublin, Healthy Ireland, Failte Ireland, Meet in Ireland, Mater Private and MSD.
Gerardine Doyle, Conference Chair, University College Dublin
Kristine Sørensen, Executive Chair, Health Literacy Europe
#4EHLC
