Theme Population Health Management

Within the subtheme of Population Health Management (PHM), researchers from various disciplines study ways to reduce health inequalities by promoting prevention and creating environments and policies that encourage healthier lifestyles. This field of study helps assess population health, predict outcomes, and anticipate necessary resources to address challenges.

Our research focus

At CPHEB, we bring together perspectives from economics, business, and health to study PHM in practice. Our research spans:

• Prevention & proactive health management: shifting the focus from treatment to long-term health promotion.

• Regional and socioeconomic disparities: investigating inequalities within and across communities and studying the role of food environments, labor markets and gender differences in these disparities.

• Governance & policy implementation: exploring how Health in All Policies (HiAP) can be operationalized, for example through the Dutch Environmental Act, as well as the regulation of fast-food density, supermarket food supply, school nutrition programs, tobacco pricing, and gambling access.

• Employers & labor markets: examining how health and well-being impact productivity, absenteeism, and recruitment, and studying how employer incentives can promote health and strengthen prevention.

• Data & evaluation: applying both micro- and macro-level methods to monitor interventions, evaluate policies, and strengthen learning health systems.

Why it matters

Healthcare systems are facing rising costs, staff shortages, and aging populations. PHM offers a framework for designing preventive interventions, strengthening sustainability, and reducing health inequalities. By connecting disciplines and engaging with stakeholders, we promote innovations that are evidence-based and actionable. Regional initiatives in the northern Netherlands, such as Nij Begun, provide living labs where new policies can be developed, tested, and expanded.

Join us

We welcome colleagues and partners who are interested in contributing to this subtheme. If you would like to explore collaborations or share your expertise, please contact us at cpheb@rug.nl.

Our experts