Policy Area Health

Addressed challenges

Populations across the Baltic Sea Region face a combination of demographic, environmental and societal pressures that undermine health and resilience. Rapid population ageing increases demands on health and social systems, while rising levels of mental distress and loneliness, particularly among young people, older adults and those affected by conflict, signal growing vulnerability. Non-communicable diseases remain the leading cause of mortality despite being largely preventable, and antimicrobial resistance continues to threaten regional and global health security. These challenges are compounded by climate change, which amplifies physical and mental health risks through extreme weather events, disrupted ecosystems, and reduced well-being. Recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, revealed how quickly systems can become overstretched and how unevenly communities can recover. Taken together, these pressures highlight the need for stronger, more integrated approaches that support people’s physical, mental, emotional and social resilience and ensure that communities are better able to withstand and adapt to future shocks.

Needed outcomes

Responding to these challenges requires action that improves collaboration among health systems, communities and institutions, strengthens cross-sectoral approaches, and expands access to effective preventive and supportive measures. Better coordination across health, education, labour, culture and civil protection systems can help embed health considerations in wider policy processes and ensure a more coherent response to shared challenges. Wider uptake of innovative and evidence-informed approaches, including community-based health promotion models, arts- and culture-supported well-being initiatives, and preventive measures addressing risky health behaviours, supports healthier lifestyles and reduces the avoidable burden on health systems.

Drawing on lessons from crisis-affected areas, such as Ukraine, strengthens preparedness systems and ensures that mental and physical well-being is systematically integrated into all resilience planning processes. As a result, the outcomes focus on expanding preventive and supportive practices, enhancing cross-sectoral cooperation and strengthening the capacity of communities and institutions to promote health and resilience.

Expected impact

Together, the outcomes contribute to long-term improvements in individual and community resilience by promoting healthier lifestyles, increasing preventive capacity and strengthening systems’ ability to respond to emerging health risks. As integrated and community-based approaches become more widespread, mental well-being improves, preventable disease burdens decrease, and populations are better prepared to cope with physical, emotional and environmental stressors. Stronger cross-sectoral coordination also enhances preparedness for future crises, reduces inequalities in access to support and contributes to more cohesive, productive and adaptable societies. Over time, these system-level improvements help increase healthy life years, strengthen social resilience and support sustainable prosperity across the Baltic Sea Region.

Addressed challenges

Across the Baltic Sea Region, health systems and communities face mounting pressures that threaten social resilience and long-term well-being. Ageing populations, rising mental distress, and unequal access to healthcare and social services are placing greater demands on public systems.

Workforce shortages, budget constraints, and gaps in cross-sector cooperation limit institutions’ capacity to respond effectively. Although the region has strong traditions in social innovation, workplace well-being, substance use control, and community-based health promotion, these strengths are unevenly distributed and not yet fully integrated into broader governance structures.

At the same time, emerging risks, including health impacts from environmental crises, new psychoactive substances, and the long-term social consequences of large-scale events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, require more coordinated action and stronger institutions.

These challenges signal the need for more coherent governance, better cross-sectoral integration, and stronger capacity among authorities, civil society, and service providers to support resilient, healthy communities.

Needed outcomes

These challenges call for responses that strengthen governance structures, align policies across sectors, and improve the capacity of institutions, workplaces, and communities to promote physical, mental, and social well-being. Improved coordination helps embed Health in All Policies approaches, ensuring that education, labour, culture, youth and climate strategies incorporate health considerations. Shared learning and cooperation enable stakeholders to scale up successful models such as Arts on Prescription, workplace-based prevention, and healthy ageing initiatives. Strengthening institutional capacity also supports the development of forward-looking alcohol, tobacco, and substance-use policies, while structured cooperation with Ukraine provides valuable experience in resilience under crisis.

As a result, the outcomes focus on improving governance, expanding innovative and community-based approaches, and reinforcing cross-sectoral capacity to address health challenges across the region.

Expected impact

Together, the outcomes help build healthier, more resilient societies by strengthening institutions’ and stakeholders’ capacity to prevent illness, reduce inequalities, and respond to new and emerging risks. As cross-sectoral governance becomes more coherent and innovative practices are adopted more widely, communities benefit from better mental health support, safer workplaces, healthier ageing and more effective responses to substance use. Over time, these system-level shifts increase healthy life years, reduce avoidable morbidity and strengthen social cohesion and productivity. A more coordinated and capable health ecosystem also improves preparedness for future shocks, including climate-related impacts and crisesaffecting physical and mental well-being.