ALLCOOL is a project where a consortium of research and collaborating stakeholders in 3 South European countries (Portugal, Spain and Italy) aim to tackle the growing trend of Heavy Episodic Drinking (HED) in the region. More research is needed to analyse the relationship between HED and lower socio-economic youth and young adults (15-30 years old). This is particularly relevant in Southern European countries going through a socioeconomic crisis, with increasing unemployment rates especially among recently graduated students and decreasing family income. By promoting healthy lifestyles, filling research gaps and implementing innovative and replicable local interventions focusing on prevention of heavy episodic drinking among youth this project will: 1) promote good health among EU youth population; 2) in the long-term, contribute to the sustainability of the health systems and healthy work forces.
To achieve this, this project intends to conduct research at the local level (WP4) that will be later compared in order to understand the local, national and south European similarities of drinking patterns, context and policy. The research results will be crucial for the development of local interventions, and produce the necessary knowledge about HED in Southern Europe, especially among low-income and unemployed young adults. This project expects also to empower and raise awareness about binge HED, especially among low-income groups, both on a local and European level. This will be done through the creation of 3 local consultative forums, the production and dissemination of local, national and European recommendations to inform comprehensive HED policy measures, in line with WHO Global Strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol (WP25. Intervention pilots will also be implemented on a local level, in order to design and experiment adapted and effective approaches to intervene on HED, especially among low income youth and unemployed graduated young adults (WP6).


Topic: 1.1 Cost-effective promotion and prevention measures in line, in particular, with the Union strategies on alcohol and nutrition, and including actions to support the exchange of evidence-based and good practices for addressing risk factors such as tobacco use and passive smoking, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy dietary habits and physical inactivity, taking into account the public health aspects of underlying factors, such as those of a social and environmental nature, with a focus on Union added value.


HCV infects and affects a population in the EU who do not access care. The arrival of new curative HCV drugs are a great opportunity for those resourced to attend services and adhere to treatment, but this adherent population is the minority in the EU. If we aim to cure HCV in all risk groups we must take the treatment to the patient and vice-versa. The activities will support the development of national hepatitis strategies, screening and treatment guidelines, taking into account available treatment options. It will help to bridge primary, secondary care, and outreach in the community to facilitate access to and uptake of testing and treatment services particularly among key risk groups including drug users and homeless. It will also assess the potentially considerable economic impact of available treatment and testing strategies on health systems, which are under the responsibility of the EU Member States, with a view to inform decisions on balancing access to medicines with the financial sustainability of health systems. The HepCare project will contain six different components.HepCheck will aim at intensifying screening in the communityHepLink will link primary and secondary care HepEd will educate and up-skill healthcare professionals in the treatment of Hepatitis CHepFriend will provide a peer advocate support programme for patients to help treatment outcomesHepCost will assess the economic impact of the projectThe coordinator will have overall responsibility for disseminating the project impact and liaising with decision makers.The project will take place in 4 member states: Ireland, the UK, Spain and Romania.The HepCare Project will build on work undertaken by the European Commission, the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction with the aim of reducing morbidity and mortality related to hepatitis C and reducing the socioeconomic impact of hepatitis in the EU/EEA.


Topic: 1.3 Support effective responses to communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis by identifying, disseminating and promoting the uptake of evidence-based and good practices for cost effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.


SEFAC supports the actions in the European regions, in alignment with national/EU efforts to reduce the burden of major chronic disease and to increase the sustainability of health systems. SEFAC fosters the involvement of volunteers in a broad community approach initiated by social and health care. The focus of SEFAC is on positive health, prevention, empowerment and self-management, using group and individual approaches, face-to-face and online, supported by user friendly ICT tools.

Four regions in varied European countries will actively participate as SEFAC pilot sites. Citizens of circa 50 years and older, who have a major chronic disease or who want to prevent chronic disease, and social/health professionals, pharmacists and volunteers will co-create communities for the promotion of health, and prevention and (self) management of chronic diseases.

In 4 pilot regions (Rijeka in Croatia, Treviso in Italy, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Cornwall in the UK), a total of 1000 citizens (250 per pilot) will be involved through community meetings. In total 360 participants (90 per pilot) will actively participate in a range of prevention and disease management activities; i.e. a series of group activities in addition to individual (volunteer reinforced) care pathways and the use of ICT tools. Stakeholders in the 4 pilot regions will be trained to implement prevention and self-management activities with help of volunteers using a ‘Social engagement toolkit’.

We will apply the CDC-Framework for Program Evaluation including the perspectives of the end-users (citizens who want to prevent/self-manage chronic disease), as well as social/health care providers, pharmacists, volunteers and other stakeholders; a cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. Using the learnings of this project, a SEFAC toolbox for implementation in European regions will be developed, including policy briefs providing policy makers and public authorities with key points for action.


Topic: 1.4 Support cooperation and networking in the Union in relation to preventing and improving the response to chronic diseases including cancer, age-related diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, by sharing knowledge, good practices and developing joint activities on prevention, early detection and management (including health literacy and self management). Follow up work on cancer which has already been undertaken, including relevant actions suggested by the European Partnership Action against Cancer.
