Strengthening Health Promotion in Serbia

CHALLENGE

Following civil war in the former Yugoslavia, the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) engaged with Balkan countries in a project called Strengthening Balkans Civil Society’s Voice for Public Health through Public Health Associations. The Public Health Association of Serbia was formed to engage national stakeholders in the “new public health”. Resources and capacity development were required for this work.

SOLUTION

The Circle of Health© was introduced in 2009 and translated into Serbian for a health promotion summer school for health professionals in Divcibare. The theme was The Circle of Health©: Understanding the Determinants of Health. In 2010, another summer school used the Circle of Health© in project development related to substance abuse of youth. Evaluations of the summer schools were positive and in 2011, a licensure agreement was signed with the Public Health Association of Serbia for unlimited educational use of the Serbian Circle of Health©. The Medical Faculty at the University of Belgrade implemented the Circle of Health© in teaching undergraduate medical students in health promotion research and practice, and examples of the students’ work with the Circle of Health© are now part of the Social Medicine textbook (published 2012, ed. Prof. Dr Snezana Simic).

2009

Strengthening Health Promotion in Serbia