[Environmental health promotion in municipalities--resources, organization and activities]

The Municipal Health Services Act with amendments from 1988 defines environmental health promotion activities directed at physical, chemical, biological and social factors as mandatory for the local Norwegian health authorities. In addition, the municipal health services are responsible for health surveillance and for initiating cross-sectorial preventive measures. In 1991, we undertook a national survey among the Norwegian municipal health services to monitor planning activities, manpower resources, cross-sectorial cooperation, and project-oriented activities within the field of environmental health promotion. Less than one-third of the municipalities employed technically trained hygienic personnel. However, three of four municipalities had carried out some environmental health promotion projects within the last two years. The following factors were all independently related to level of environmental health promotion activity: the availability of technical assistance, the level of cross-sectorial cooperation and the size of the population in the municipality. We conclude that this area of health promotion should be improved by better planning, a higher level of technical hygienic competence within the municipal health services, more inter-sectorial cooperation and greater emphasis on visible projects of limited duration.