Improved life habits in vulnerable groups

Important results from the project

The project aims at creating equal good health and promote good living habits in the population with a focus on healthy eating, physical activity and reduced smoking. The means are apps targeting future mothers and families with small children, as well as actions in the local municipal context. Co-creation activities with families, municipal- and regional employees have been conducted and may already have influenced them towards more healthy choices. We intend to continue and in the long term affect public health in socio-economically weak areas including rural areas.

Expected long term effects

Results are increased knowledge about a rural municipality and its inhabitants, as well as how norms and local context promote or hinder good living habits. International projects in Amsterdam and Seinijokki show that local holistic initiatives where municipality, businesses and non-profit actors colaborate to achieve good living habits, have a positive effect on e.g. childhood obesity. The project has also taken steps towards introducing two research-based apps promoting healthy living habits in pregnant and infant families closer to implementation in private and public care.

Approach and implementation

The project has used data analysis, interviews and workshops together with target group, municipal staff, maternal health care and child health care in Skåne and Östergötland, and held two major meetings with the entire project group. In addition, agreements and investigations of the payment model for the implementation of research-based apps in private and public care have been investigated and the process has been started with Capio and Region Östergötland. Methods have worked well. An improvement for future projects are to start the anchoring process for UDI step 2 even earlier.