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The five essential conditions

The Five Essential Conditions are the multi-sectoral policy action areas to address complex and persistent health gaps and increase opportunities to live healthy and prosperous lives for all.  

  • Health and health services

    Policies that aim to ensure availability, accessibility, affordability and quality of preventative and health care services and interventions. For example, health protection, health promotion and improvement, primary, secondary and scheduled care.

  • Health and income and social protection

    Policies that aim to provide economic security and support to reduce the health and social consequences of poverty and low income throughout a person’s life. For example, financial support for parents, older people or unemployed.

  • Health and living conditions

    Policies that aim to ensure opportunities for, and access and exposure to living conditions and environments that have a positive influence on people’s health and well-being. For example, planning, good quality and secure housing, clean air, green spaces.

  • Health and social and human capital

    Policies that aim to develop and strengthen social relations and community assets, including education, skills, community resources and meaningful social interactions to promote learning, and protect and promote health and well-being throughout a person’s life. For example, improving training, apprenticeship, building community cohesion and resilience, trust, sense of belonging.

  • Health and employment and working conditions

    Policies that aim to improve the health impact of employment, working conditions and workplace equality. For example, availability of work, a living wage, physical and
    mental demands, ensuring health and safety at work.

For more information on the health equity framework of ‘five essential conditions’ developed by the WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development in Venice, Italy, please read Healthy, prosperous lives for all: the European Health Equity Status Report.