The Swedish public health policy aims to achieve more equal living conditions, and thus opportunities, for equal health. There are several factors that affect our state of health, such as where and how we live, the environment we live in, childhood and adolescence, our education, and our work. People’s conditions, opportunities, and scope for action in these areas can both increase and reduce the risk of illness.

In 2020, Forte was commissioned by the Swedish government to initiate a long-term investment in research on prevention and public health. The initiative is linked to the overall direction of public health policy adopted by the Swedish parliament. The political goal is to create societal conditions for good and equal health in the entire population, and to close the health gaps within a generation.

Objectives and orientation

Forte’s vision with the initiative for research on prevention and public health is to contribute to increased knowledge on how health equity can be promoted, how ill-health can be prevented and how effective interventions to improve public health can be designed and implemented.

Within the initiative, Forte will primarily promote research and carry out activities that clearly respond to identified research needs of preventive and health-promoting work. The research must meet the needs of performers or policy makers while addressing gaps in scientific knowledge. This includes co-production of knowledge with, for example, the public, policy makers, professionals and actors who will use and implement the interventions. The initiative aims to support research that provides knowledge that can be used to develop preventive and health-promoting work and, by extension, improve public health in an equal way.

The statement of orientation was drawn up in 2022. As a basis for the orientation, Forte conducted a survey of previously approved research applications within the field of prevention and public health. The orientation also describes identified research needs. The orientation has been drawn up in collaboration with the reference group for the initiative.

Statement of orientation – prevention and public health (in Swedish)

Funding opportunities

Forte has so far carried out three calls within the framework of the special initiative in prevention and public health, focusing on vulnerable groups and preventive measures:

Funded research

 All projects that have been funded within the initiative Prevention and Public Health.