Role of the arts in improving health and well-being

What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being in the WHO European Region?
World Health Organization
November 2019

"Arts interventions, such as singing in a choir to improve chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are considered non-invasive, low-risk treatment options and are increasingly being used by Member States to supplement more traditional biomedical treatments. The Health Evidence Network (HEN) synthesis report on arts and health, which will be launched on 11 November 2019, maps the global academic literature on this subject in both English and Russian. It references over 900 publications, including 200 reviews covering  over 3000 further studies. As such, the report represents the most comprehensive evidence review of arts and health to date."

Read more here.

Behavioural insights and health: case studies

"..... there is a variety of ways that people can be supported to make better choices. Councils are demonstrating this through the way they are making use of behavioural insights to improve health. From exploiting digital technologies to stressing social norms in a bid to encourage people to make lifestyle changes, local authorities have started using behavioural insights to make a difference to people’s lives."

Behavioural insights and health: case studies
Local Government Association
January 2016

Read more here.

Why staff health matters to patient care

"This report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), entitled Work and wellbeing in the NHS: why staff health matters to patient care, sets out why it is in the best interests of both patients and NHS organisations for the health, wellbeing and engagement of the NHS workforce to be prioritised."

Work and wellbeing in the NHS: Why staff health matters to patient care
Royal College of Physicians
March 2015

Read more here.

Addressing social, economic and environmental determinants of health

"Capacity building is an integral part of the projects analysed."

Addressing social, economic and environmental determinants of health and the health divide in the context of sustainable human development
UCL Institute of Health Equity
July 2014

Read more here.

Psychological wellbeing and work: improving service provision and outcomes

"This study investigates how the employment outcomes of people with common mental health problems can be improved and what policies and interventions could help them maintain or gain work."

Psychological wellbeing and work: improving service provision and outcomes
C van Stolk, J Hofman, M Hafner, B Janta
Department for Work & Pensions, Department of Health
January 2014

Read more here.

Health and homelessness

"This report is based on consultation with six services providing health care to homeless people, 17 case studies showing the range of presenting health issues and use of health services by homeless people, and analysis of five case studies illustrating the financial impact of this pattern of service use."

Health and homelessness: understanding the costs and role of primary care services for homeless people
St Mungo's
July 2013

Read more here.

Reclaiming a population health perspective

"The report, which was written by the Nuffield Trust, commissioned by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC), examines the arguments for encouraging and enabling general practices to take a much more proactive role in improving the health and wellbeing of their local populations, as well as their individual patients."

Reclaiming a population health perspective
R Thorlby
Nuffield Trust
April 2013

Read more here.

Consumer engagement initiatives to improve health and health care

"In this article we identified the need for a framework to classify the wide array of consumer engagement interventions to help “make sense” of them as an important step to advancing knowledge of their value in improving the quality of health care through community-based efforts, or otherwise."

Making sense of “consumer engagement” initiatives to improve health and health care: a conceptual framework to guide policy and practice
JN Mittler, GR Martsolf, SJ Telenko, DP Scanlon
Milbank Quarterly, 2013, 91(1):37-77

Read more here.

Fit enough for patients?

"Physiotherapy services play a vital role in improving staff health and wellbeing, and many of the trusts highlighted in this report are already putting physiotherapy at the heart of wellbeing services for staff."

Fit enough for patients? An audit of workplace health and wellbeing services for NHS staff
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
March 2013

Read more here.

Better use of information and technology in health and social care

"This report this highlights additional actions that could be taken to drive the  more efficient and effective use of information and technology, and identifies the benefits that could potentially be achieved by doing so."

A review of the potential benefits from the better use of information and technology in health and social care: final report
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
January 2013

Read more here.

Joining up health and social care

"Improving joint working across the boundary between health and social care has the potential to make significant savings and has been a priority for many years."

Joining up health and social care: improving value for money across the interface
Audit Commission
December 2011

Read more here.