A research project by the National School of Public Health of NOVA University of Lisbon (ENSP NOVA) and the NOVA Center for Global Health (NCGH) of the NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS), titled +Prevenção, highlighted Portugal's difficulties in translating knowledge and strategies into concrete and measurable actions in health prevention. The results were presented at the Reitoria da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa.
The European Health Prevention Index (EHPI), which assessed 22 priority policies across 11 European countries, awarded Portugal a score of 55.3 out of 100, slightly below the European average of 55.6, placing the country in 7th position. However, the analysis reveals that only 40.9% of policies show a high level of implementation.
While Portugal demonstrates positive results in Immunization and Screening, there are opportunities for improvement, particularly in life-course vaccination and reducing access inequalities. Areas such as Health Education, Health Literacy, and the application of Data and Artificial Intelligence show lower implementation levels.
Sónia Dias, director of ENSP NOVA, emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in the healthcare system, focusing not only on responding to illness but on producing health and anticipating risks. "The challenge is no longer just knowing what works: it is about moving to action and implementing better, evaluating the impact we are effectively producing, and measuring not only expenditure but also access, equity, outcomes, and return on investment," she stated.
In 2023, preventive care accounted for only 2.3% of current health expenditure in Portugal, below the European average of 3.7%. Consulted experts indicate that this figure is underestimated, as part of preventive activity occurs outside the health sector or is integrated into routine care.
Prevention requires an intersectoral approach, involving areas such as education, environment, housing, and social protection. "Investing in prevention means creating conditions for people to live longer and better, with greater autonomy, quality of life, and well-being," added Sónia Dias, stressing that it should be viewed as a strategic investment rather than an expense.
Researchers recommend that Portugal adopt a logic of investment and value, linking applied resources with indicators of access, coverage, equity, health outcomes, and return on investment. Improving information systems and monitoring mechanisms is crucial for assessing the impact of preventive actions.
The +Prevenção project aims to bridge the gap between knowledge production and decision-making and practice, transforming evidence into useful tools for policy-making and evaluation. ENSP NOVA intends to continue positioning itself at this interface between research, public policy, and practice.
“"Academia should not limit itself to producing evidence. It also has the responsibility to transform it into useful instruments for decision-making, support implementation, evaluate what works, in which contexts, and measure its impact."
The +Prevenção project is an initiative by ENSP NOVA and the NOVA Center for Global Health of NOVA IMS, focused on reinforcing prevention as a priority in health policies. It includes a Public Prevention Policy Framework, the European Health Prevention Index, and an analysis of the Economic Framework of Prevention Expenditure in Portugal.
