Since 2024, the “InterFamily” clinic of the family medicine has been participating in the international ShowUp4Health project, which aims to address the social and environmental determinants of health that contribute to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases in vulnerable groups, including Roma communities and internally displaced persons. The ShowUp4Health partnership consists of five countries: Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia and Ukraine.

Social and environmental determinants of health affect the health ecosystem of vulnerable groups.

ShowUp4Health believes that communities that integrate health and social interventions can use this as a tool to build trust and promote health literacy among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine. Stakeholder partnerships in support of vulnerable communities can also bring expertise, collaboration, and resources to address complex NCD issues.

The overall goal of ShowUp4Health is to address the social and environmental determinants of health that contribute to the increased risk of NCDs among IDPs.

The specific objectives of ShowUp4Health are as follows:

• Reduce health inequalities by focusing on the combination of social and environmental determinants of health through targeted interventions across the patient journey in the prevention of NCDs.
• To combine the fields of social work and health care within a single integrated socio-medical methodology to establish trust, increase health literacy and ensure adherence to medical protocols in vulnerable groups.
• To understand the adaptability of the Integrated Social and Medical Care Methodology to reduce health inequalities among other vulnerable populations in Europe.

Results

Short-term impact:

• More effective communication on NCDs and healthy lifestyles among vulnerable populations in the pilot regions.
• More vulnerable people participate in NCD screening.
• More vulnerable people with high NCD risk factors and NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and mental disorders (in Ukraine)) will be identified and referred to specialists for treatment.
• More vulnerable people with medical discipline of follow-up and adherence to medication.
• More balanced work of health care workers.
• Increased knowledge and sensitivity among both medical and social workers.
• Improved public health.

Medium-term perspective (3-5 years):

• The integrated methodology is adopted in all locations where beneficiary organizations operate.
• The integrated methodology is adopted by other civil society organizations in the pilot countries.
• The medical intermediary as a new or expanded role is integrated into the health care system of the pilot countries.
• Strengthening of national health care systems in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
• Improved public health in partner Member States.
• Start of transformation into a more integrated social and health care system.
• Uniform methodology adopted for NCD screening (description of the process, testing, standards, type of test required) by national authorities in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ukraine.
• Integrated methodology adopted by NGOs working with other vulnerable populations in other EU member states.

Long-term impact (10-15 years):

• Improved health indicators for vulnerable populations in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Ukraine.
• Improved social determinants of health of vulnerable populations in Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ukraine.

Coordinator
Hungarian Charity Service of Order of Malta, HCSOM,
1125 Szarvas Gábor út 58-60. Budapest, Hungary
Website: https://maltai.hu Email: [email protected]