Health promoting settings in primary health care - "hälsotorg": an implementation analysis

Amina Jama Mahmud, Ewy Olander, Lovisa Wallenberg, Bo JA Haglund

Sweden, like many other western countries, faces increasing rates of lifestyle related diseases and corresponding rise in costs for health care. To meet these challenges, a number of efforts have been introduced at different societal levels. One such effort is "Hälsotorg" (HS). HS is a new health promotion setting that emerged in collaboration between the Swedish County Councils and Apoteket AB, a state-owned pharmacy company. HS's overall aim was to improve population health and facilitate inhabitants' responsibility for self-care. A new National Public Health Policy, introduced in 2008, emphasizes more focus on individual's needs and responsibility as well as strong need for county councils to provide supportive environment for individual-centred health services and increased health literacy among the population. In light of this policy, there is a need to examine existing settings that can provide supportive environment for individuals at community level. The aim of this study was to explore HS's policy implementation at local level and analyse HS's activities, in order to provide a deeper understanding of HS's potential as a health promoting setting.