title: Primary Health Care: a strategic framework for the prevention and control of chronic non-communicable disease.
abstract: In 2014, chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent the leading causes of global mortality and disability. Government-level concern, and resulting policy changes, are manifesting. However, there continues to be a paucity of guiding frameworks for legislative measures. The surge of NCDs will require strong and effective governance responses, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Simultaneously following the 2008 World Health Report, there has recently been renewed interest in Primary Health Care (PHC) and its core principles. With this, has come strengthened support for revitalizing this approach, which aims for equitable and cost-effective population-health attainment. In this light and reflecting recent major global reports, declarations and events, we propose and critique a PHC approach to NCDs, highlighting PHC, with its core themes, as a valuable guiding framework for health promotion and policy addressing this group of diseases. Responsible Editors: Nawi Ng, Umeå University, Sweden and Julia Schröders, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Harvard Global Equity Initiative, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; demaio@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Alessandro R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Demaio
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; World Diabetes Foundation, Gentofte, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karoline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kragelund Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Britt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pinkowski Tersbøl
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Center for Global Health (GloHAU), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kallestrup
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dan W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Meyrowitsch
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003256:Community Participation; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; D014943:Global Health; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055818:Public-Private Sector Partnerships; D013548:Sweden
keywords: LMICs; NCDs; PHC; health policies; health promotion; integrated approach
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