Ema: “Let Us Live Healthily” has an impact on the social determinants of life expectancy, morbidity and mortality in Pomurje. These determinants include poverty, education, and social exclusion, and they result in the presence of certain risk factors and behaviours. For instance, there is a lack of access to and awareness of healthy foods. There is a lack of awareness of healthy cooking practices. People are not accustomed to regular exercise, nor are they fully aware of its benefits. The result is an elevated rate of noncommunicable diseases. In addition, poverty and social exclusion can make people feel isolated and stressed, resulting in mental health and substance abuse problems.
The “Let Us Live Healthily” programme is based on the principle that every person must take responsibility for his/her health. In this way, the programme brings together society to empower individuals to take control of their health. The programme aims to give them the necessary knowledge and skills. The broader impact of the programme is on the community, by fostering intersectoral action and countering wider determinants of health.
Ema: Overall, the problems you see in Pomurje are the problems that you see in low-income rural areas throughout Europe. The poverty that afflicts Slovenia is that of a materialistic consumer society. It is not characterized by homelessness or lack of possessions (as in some low-income countries). Instead, it is characterized by a person’s loss of dignity as a result of adverse socioeconomic conditions that take away their sense of control. This often results in depression, anxiety and a sense of isolation.
Rural communities are typically poorer than urban communities in Slovenia. In Pomurje, it is not infrequent to hear of families where both parents are unemployed. Elderly persons are especially vulnerable to poverty and isolation. For instance, some farmers are too old to work. Even though they have land, they cannot manage it because they no longer can do the physical labour themselves and they do not have money to pay someone to do it. However, because they own property, they are not eligible for social assistance. In addition, some elderly persons live alone in big traditional farm- houses, and they are not able physically or financially to maintain them.
For people who suffer from depression, anxiety, and a sense of isolation, their quality of life is lower. Although they are not hungry or homeless, they have a lot of problems that are associated with – and perpetuate – their vulnerability to a precarious socioeconomic situation.
In Pomurje, most inhabitants finished secondary school. However, many still are not employed. There has been no replacement to the employment provided by the food- and clothing-production firms that closed in the 1990s. The government has a long-term approach to job creation through the regional development programme. However, results will take years to achieve.
In the meantime, we need to work to address the determinants of ill-health and ensure that people feel empowered. The “Let Us Live Healthily” programme works to do this. With the changes in lifestyles brought about by the programme, people will improve their health. The programme also counters social exclusion, as it brings communities together around health-promoting activities. This gives people the possibility of exchanging information on job, education, caretaking, and benefit opportunities, enabling them to better cope with adverse economic conditions.
