Table 1 Summary of policy developments from 1980 to 2000
From: The development of a strategy for tackling health inequalities in the Netherlands
1985 | The Dutch government adopted the WHO Health For All policy targets |
1986 | Publication of the Health 2000 Report [15] by the Ministry of Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs, including a paragraph on socioeconomic inequalities in health |
1987 | National conference on socioeconomic inequalities in health, organized under the aegis of the Scientific Council for Government Policy, resulting in a proposal for a national research programme (1989–1993) funded by the ministry of Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs |
1991 | National conference, again organized under the aegis of the Scientific Council for Government Policy, resulting in an agreement among several parties involved to implement activities to reduce inequalities in health |
1994 | Results of the first national research programme were reported to the Minister of Public Health |
1995 | Publication of an important policy document by the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport (Health and Wellbeing). Reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in health was mentioned as one of the policy goals. Initiation of second national research programme (1995–2000) |
1996 | Publication of a second document on Public Health Status and Forecasts, by the National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection. Socioeconomic inequalities in health were stressed as a major public health problem |
2000 | Report of the Lemstra committee on the enforcement of public health. The reduction of socioeconomic inequalities was mentioned as an important policy aim. |
| Â | Growing demand by the Ministry of Public Health and parliament for information on effective interventions to reduce inequalities in health |
2001 | Results of the second national research programme, and recommendations based on these results, reported to the Minister of Public Health |