title: A new theme within public health science for increased life quality.
abstract: In 2006 the Nordic Council of Ministers concluded that there was need for education and training in how to plan and design society to enable people to live active, independent, and full lives without adding supplementary, segregating adjustments or expensive specialised solutions, especially for the elderly or persons with disabilities. The universal design (UD) concept became a public health issue for all Nordic countries. The first academic educational-training initiative in universal design was initiated at the Nordic School of Public Health (NHV) in 2006. Thereafter, a number of UD courses were held for professionals mainly from the Nordic countries who worked with development and creation of the public arena. In 2011 the first diploma programme in universal design was established at NHV. A new field in public health research was also established and a number of publications in scientific journals, presentations at Nordic and international conferences, together with seminars and workshops have established a solid ground for further development of the field in the Nordic countries.
authors: Nordic School of Public Health NHV, Sweden, Gjøvik University College, Norway evastina.bjork@hig.no.
authors: Evastina
authors: E
authors: Björk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods; D003479:Curriculum; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education / Q000266:history*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012581:Schools, Public Health / Q000266:history* / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: education; health promotion; innovation; public health; universal design