Authors: Ilona Kickbusch and David Gleicher (Global Health Europe, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies)

The study on governance for health in the 21st century, commissioned by WHO - Europe Regional Office, describes the attempts of governments and other actors to steer communities, whole countries or even groups of countries in the pursuit of health as integral to well-being. This study tracks recent governance innovations to address the priority determinants of health and categorizes them into five strategic approaches to smart governance for health. It relates the emergence of joint action by the health sector and non-health sectors, by public and private actors and by citizens, all of whom have an increasing role to play in achieving seminal changes in 21st-century societies.

This study was commissioned to provide the evidence base for the new European health policy, Health 2020. Calling for a HiAP health-in-all-policies, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, Health 2020 uses governance as a “lense” through which to view all technical areas of health.

Authors: OECD

This second edition of Health at a Glance: Europe presents the most recent comparable data for selected indicators of health and health systems in 35 European countries – the 27 member states of the European Union, five candidate countries and three EFTA countries – up to 2010. The publication also provides detailed information on health expenditure and financing trends.

Author: WHO Regional Office for Europe

While the overall level of health across the WHO European Region has clearly improved, European health statistics show inequities within and between countries, according to the European health report 2012. The report is WHO/Europe’s flagship publication, issued every three years.

The report covers the Region’s 53 countries and nearly 900 million people, revealing that people are living longer and healthier lives. Life expectancy is rising across the Region, increasing by 5 years since 1980 to reach 76 years in 2010.

Author: Global Thematic Consultation on Health

The ‘Health in the Post-2015 Agenda’ from the Global Thematic Consultation on Health (led by WHO and UNICEF) states that the post-2015 health agenda should:

1) Include specific health-related targets as part of other development sector goals.

2) Take a holistic, life-course approach to people’s health with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.

3) Accelerate progress where MDG targets have not been achieved and set more ambitious targets for the period to come.

4) Address the growing burden of NCDs, mental illness, and other emerging health challenges.

This is the first time mental illness has been explicitly included in the Post-MDG agenda.

Author: Bruce Alberts (Science)

Science's editorial, against the use of the journal impact factor in judging the individual scientist's work.