Generating political priority to tackle health disparities: a case study in the Dutch city of The Hague.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to study the factors that determined the success of a recent initiative to generate political priority for the problem of health disparities in the city of The Hague, the Netherlands.

METHODS

Our study had a prospective design. The qualitative data collection included interviews, document analyses, and observations.

RESULTS

Crucial for the success of this initiative was the presence of powerful and credible actors. These actors effectively presented scientific evidence on health disparities and framed the issue in the light of shared values, priorities, and policy principles. Finally, their actions were supported by the national context, including the availability of national scientific research on health disparities.

CONCLUSIONS

The project in The Hague shows that political priority for tackling health disparities can be generated at a local level. Key factors included framing the issue in the light of shared values and framing the problem and the solution as in line with existing policy principles.