The WHO Collaborating Centre on Social Determinants in Health

The WHO Collaborating Centre on Social Determinants in Health assists WHO to act in promoting and advancing know-how for a 'health and social equity in all policies' approach within Finland and among Member States, particularly those in the WHO European region.

The WHO Collaborating Centre began operations at the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in June 2011, and is headed by Assistant Director General, professor Marja Vaarama at THL.

Tasks

• The Centre aims to develop understanding and reporting on the social factors underlying health issues and ways of influencing these factors.
• The Centre contributes scientific and technical products to support the WHO's capacity building in Member States.
• The Centre is developing models and methods for monitoring, measuring and analysing equity in health systems, in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Long-term and systematic co-operation between administrative sectors is essential to promoting public health and welfare. Finland has been at the forefront of efforts to develop such an approach locally, regionally, nationally and on the European and global stage.

Read more about the Centre's activities

The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is a research and development institute operating under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.