Portugal has established policies and programmes in several areas of prevention, but continues to face a decisive challenge: turning strategies and knowledge into effective, equitable and measurable implementation. This is one of the main conclusions of the +Prevention project, developed by NOVA National School of Public Health (NOVA NSPH) and the NOVA Center for Global Health (NCGH) at NOVA Information Management School (NOVA IMS), whose findings were presented at the CNN Portugal Summit | + Prevention Forum, at the Rectorate of NOVA University Lisbon.

The European Health Prevention Index (EHPI), developed as part of the project, assessed the implementation of 22 priority policies across 11 European countries. Portugal scored 55.3 out of 100, very close to the average of 55.6 points for the countries analysed, ranking seventh. However, only 40.9% of the policies assessed in Portugal demonstrate high levels of implementation.

Portugal performs particularly well in the areas of Immunisation and Screening, although opportunities for improvement remain, particularly in vaccination throughout the life course, participation in screening programmes and reducing inequalities in access. By contrast, Health Education and Health Literacy, as well as the use of Data and Artificial Intelligence, are among the areas with the lowest levels of implementation.

According to Sónia Dias, Director of NOVA NSPH, the findings highlight the need for a more profound change in the way prevention is integrated into the health system.

“We cannot continue to think about the sustainability of the health system solely in terms of its ability to respond to illness. We need a strong NHS that can provide care when people are ill, but that is also capable of generating health, anticipating risks and extending the number of years people live in good health. The study shows us that the challenge is no longer simply knowing what works: it is being able to take action and implement more effectively, assess the impact we are actually achieving, and measure not only expenditure but also access, equity, outcomes and return on investment,” she states.

In one of Europe’s oldest populations, preventive care accounted for just 2.3% of current healthcare expenditure in 2023, below the European average of 3.7%. The study nevertheless warns that these figures may not reflect the full extent of investment. Among the experts consulted, 88.2% believe that the expenditure on prevention reported in Portugal is underestimated, as some preventive activities are integrated into routine care, while others take place outside the health sector.

Education, the environment, housing, employment, social protection, urban planning, local authorities and community organisations also have a direct impact on population health, reinforcing the need to approach prevention across sectors and beyond the traditional boundaries of the health system.

“In fact, prevention requires a paradigm shift: rather than focusing on illness, investing in prevention means creating the conditions for people to live longer and better, with greater autonomy, quality of life and well-being, while also helping to strengthen the sustainability of health systems. Prevention must no longer be regarded as expenditure, but recognised as a strategic investment that generates value for individuals and the health system, but above all for society and the country,” adds Sónia Dias.

The researchers therefore argue that Portugal should move away from an approach focused solely on expenditure towards one centred on investment and value, linking the resources allocated to indicators of access, coverage, equity, health outcomes and return on investment. Improving information systems and monitoring mechanisms will also be essential to establish more accurately how much is invested in prevention and what impact is achieved.

The project also reinforces a central dimension of NOVA NSPH’s mission: bringing knowledge production closer to decision-making and practice. “Academia should not limit itself to producing evidence. It also has a responsibility to translate that evidence into practical tools for decision-making, support implementation, assess what works and in which contexts, and measure its impact. We want to continue to position NOVA NSPH at the intersection of research, public policy and practice,” emphasises Sónia Dias.

About +Prevention

+Prevention is a research project developed by NOVA NSPH and the NOVA Center for Global Health at NOVA IMS, with the aim of strengthening prevention as a priority in health policy. It comprises a Public Policy Framework for Prevention, the European Health Prevention Index and an analysis of the Economic Framework of Expenditure on Prevention in Portugal, seeking to generate evidence to support priority-setting, policy implementation and better-informed investment decisions.

Access the final summary report here: https://qrco.de/bh2Vxr

On 14 October 2026, the NEMESIS European project will host a free international workshop entitled “NEMESIS Stakeholder Workshop: Metabolic Disruptors – Bridging Science to Policy“. The event, which will take place online and in English, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Lisbon time), aims to bring together researchers, policymakers and other societal stakeholders to discuss how chemicals that interfere with metabolism (known as metabolic-disrupting chemicals) affect human health.

The research team from the NOVA National School of Public Health will participate in this European forum with a presentation exploring citizens’ communication needs regarding exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

The workshop will focus on the latest scientific findings and on how this emerging knowledge can be translated into practical decisions and the development of more effective health and environmental policies. The programme includes short presentations by internationally renowned experts and open discussion sessions, fostering joint reflection on the practical application of scientific knowledge in real-world contexts.

For NOVA NSPH researchers, this event represents a key milestone in the dialogue between academia and society:

“This workshop is an opportunity to build a direct bridge between the science developed in our laboratories and the policies that protect citizens. In our presentation, we will focus precisely on how science communication can empower communities, transforming awareness into concrete actions to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs),” says Cristina Godinho, professor at NOVA NSPH.

The event is open to the public and is aimed at a diverse audience: researchers and academics; policymakers and regulators; stakeholders and sectoral partners from different industries and non-governmental organisations; and citizens and students interested in the impact of endocrine disruptors on metabolic health and the environment.

Participants will have the opportunity not only to learn about the latest results of the NEMESIS project, but also about new tools and methodologies being developed in the sector for assessing the risks associated with exposure to these substances. They will also be able to take part in the discussion, share their perspectives and help shape future directions for research and chemicals policy in Europe.

The full programme and the access link (which will be made available closer to the date of the event) can be found here: https://www.nemesis-project.eu/stakeholder_workshop_14oct2026/

In the third edition of the international BIP PROTECT initiative, promoted under the ERASMUS+ – Blended Intensive Program (BIP), six students from the NOVA National School of Public Health, accompanied by Paulo Sousa, a faculty member of the School, took part in the in-person component of the course held in Lahti, Finland, hosted by LAB University of Applied Sciences, following a preparatory phase conducted online between June and August.

Organised in partnership by a consortium of European universities — LAB University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Hochschule RheinMain (Germany), Miguel Hernández University (Spain) and NOVA NSPH (Portugal) — the programme, which took place from 7 to 11 September, brought together students from various fields (health, management and economics) to develop their skills in “Risk Management and Patient Safety”.

As in previous editions, the programme combined theoretical sessions with intensive practical components, focusing on:

• Risk analysis and mitigation tools: Practical application of methodologies such as Ishikawa diagrams, FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) and RCA (Root Cause Analysis);
• Case studies and simulations: Resolution of complex scenarios based on protocols for investigating adverse events;
• Specialised lectures: Discussions on the WHO strategic plan (Global Action for Patient Safety 2021–2030), organisational resilience, support for professionals following adverse events (Second Victim), and crisis communication in healthcare services.

The initiative reinforced the role of safety culture and proactive risk management as fundamental pillars of quality in healthcare, promoting the dimensions of structure, process and outcomes and encouraging alignment with the International Patient Safety Goals.

The sessions dedicated to the exchange of knowledge on the organisation of the different European health systems were central to the programme. During the activities, the NOVA NSPH delegation presented the model for structuring Quality and Patient Safety in Portugal, duly framed within the National Health Service (SNS) and the Portuguese health system. At the same time, the Portuguese participants analysed the current realities in Germany, Spain and Finland through presentations delivered by the international partners. This reflection exercise provided an in-depth comparative analysis, making it possible to map challenges shared across Europe and disseminate good practices with potential for adaptation and continuous improvement in different contexts.

“This in-person week was crucial to consolidating the programme’s theoretical learning, enabling us to apply patient safety concepts to real and complex scenarios. Collaborative work with experts and professionals from several countries provided a genuinely multidisciplinary perspective. This experience not only enriched my training, but also enabled me to acquire essential critical tools to lead and implement a sustainable safety culture in my future professional practice,” said Mariana Gonçalves, one of the six NOVA NSPH students taking part in this edition, who described her experience in highly positive terms.

The 2026 edition of the BIP PROTECT Summer School once again highlights the value of an integrated, transnational and multidisciplinary approach in higher education, reinforcing NOVA NSPH’s commitment to training future leaders to build safer, more resilient and sustainable health systems.

Building on the success of this international collaborative network, it was agreed that the next edition of the Summer School will be organised and hosted by NOVA NSPH and will take place in Lisbon from 27 September to 1 October 2027.