Health promotion research literature in Europe 1995-2005

To undertake an overview of health promotion research in the EEA to inform the collaborative study-SPHERE (Strengthening Public Health Research in Europe).

A 'filter' (search strategy) was used to search Medline and Embase for a 10-year period from 1995 to 2005. A 32% (6000) sample of the filter output was assessed for proportion constituting health promotion. Output was analysed by country, population, gross domestic product (GDP) and health need (disability-adjusted life years, DALYs). Disease prevention (screening and immunization) and health improvement papers were separately identified. The latter were classified by methodology, level of intervention and topic area.

18,862 papers were identified. One-third was identified as health promotion (2206/6000, 36.7%) equivalent to 6935 (CI 6651-7230). Production varied: Nordic countries were highest producers per million population; the UK the largest net producer. There was a weak relationship between health promotion publication and population size (r(2) = 0.38); a weak inverse relationship with relative health (DALYs per million population) (r(2) = 0.07) and a slightly stronger relationship with GDP (r(2) = 0.45). Twenty-eight percent (626/2206) of the papers identified were disease prevention (screening and immunization). The largest topic areas of the remainder (1580) were diet and exercise, smoking and tobacco, and cardiovascular disease reduction. Accidents and violence, alcohol and mental health each accounted for <5% of total output. Intervention studies were a minority; with less aimed at the regional/national or policy or legal and fiscal levels.

Health promotion research production varies across Europe. Research commissioning should stress interventional and policy level research.