The submissions were about either individuals, ideas or products that could be the game changer for public health of the future. TSG's independent judges chose the winning essay: the piece by APH researchers called ‘Een veerkrachtige publieke gezondheid in 2030: #hoedan?’ (A resilient public health in 2030: #how?). Written by Luc Hagenaars (research associate, Public and occupational health), Wilma Waterlander (assistant professor, Public and occupational health), Karen den Hertog (GGD Amsterdam) and Karien Stronks (Full Professor, Public and occupational health).
The essays were judged on impact, rationale, originality and writing style. The jury says about this piece: ‘The broad connection between health, economics, sustainability and other current major issues is adequately addressed’. The jury also praises the focus on the role of professionals in change. The essay by Hagenaars, Waterlander, Den Hertog and Stronks advocates 'thinking in aligned interacting systems' as the game changer for current and future complex public health issues. In their abstract they explain:
“Our game changer is a compass to deal with this complexity. In our vision of 2030, system beliefs, goals, structures and events line up to create a society that balances health, climate, social cohesion and economy. To reach this desired system, a resilient public health sector actively interacts with public discourse, political windows of opportunity are seized for institutionalizing health for all policies, and research is intertwined with the policy process, without the merging of the two.”
Read the essay here.