Health indicators for Swedish children. A contribution to a Municipal Index

This study from Save the Children is about the development of a child welfare index in Swedish municipalities that can be used as comparison across country. A previous study was dedicated to the increase in the child poverty rate in Sweden. The aim of the present study is to carry out a survey on children’s health situation, based on a range of indicators in the area of health. The report sheds light in a systematic way on children’s health in Sweden and on methods that can be used to measure it. On the basis of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children’s right to the highest attainable standard of health (article 24) has been placed in a Swedish perspective with a focus on the municipal level. This is the first time an attempt has been made to construct a municipal health index for children in a broad public health perspective. The results of this extensive review can be presented under three headings: gaps in knowledge, ongoing efforts and current results.