Joined the programme in 2020
Cities for Better Health Aarhus was launched in June 2020 with the city’s health administration, Aarhus University and Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus as core local partners.
The partnership is highlighted in the city’s health policy 2020-241. In line with a proud tradition in the city, the partnership will work with civil society, other city administrations, businesses, and a variety of stakeholders.
In the city of Aarhus, the number of people with type 2 diabetes has more than tripled since 2000 to 10.700 in 2018, corresponding to a prevalence rate of 3% (4% including approximately 3,000 undiagnosed citizens) 2. By 2025, the number is expected to increase further to a minimum of 15.000 diagnosed citizens.
The prevalence of diabetes is socially unequal distributes, and low-educated and low-paid people are in greater risk of developing complication as a consequence of the diabetes disease. The ambition in Aarhus is to improve health equity among citizens with diabetes and at elevated risk of developing diabetes.
Key facts and figures
3x
the number of people with type 2 diabetes has more than tripled since 2000
The main purpose of Cities for Better Health is to accelerate the realization of Aarhus’ diabetes action plan. With a 0-100-year perspective and via a family-oriented approach, the diabetes action plan has these landmarks:
1. Fewer people in Aarhus develop type 2 diabetes
2. The social inequality in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is reduced
3. More people with type 2 diabetes live longer and have a higher quality of life
4. More people with type 1 diabetes live longer with a well-regulated diabetes and have a higher quality of life
The first collaborative project is to develop and test a social investment programme for diabetes prevention. In late 2021 the city launched Denmark’s first diabetes impact bond. The bonds will provide funding from outside the city’s health budget to provide targeted healthy living and disease self-management support to 450 vulnerable citizens with type 2 diabetes for three years.
In collaboration with Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus and Dalberg the city developed an investment model based on a strong economic case for action (reducing costs of complications), a target group (working age, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes), intervention design, success criteria (blood sugar levels) and financial model (payment for results). The first citizens to join the support programme were recruited by their family doctors in early 2022.
The impact bond investors are the Danish National Social Investment Fund and Aarhus’ own Council for Social Investment. If specified targets are achieved, the investors will receive their loan back with a small premium.
“Together, we can ensure new solutions and methods to combat
the rise of diabetes in Aarhus and globally. We need to
strengthen previous efforts to support and empower citizens to
take responsibility for their own health and thereby ensure,
that more people live a healthier and better life without
chronical disease. With the realization of a new social
investment bond in Aarhus, we have taken a big step in terms of
preventing diabetes, and we look forward to sharing our
know-how.”
– Christian Budde, Alderman for the Department of Health and Care, Aarhus
“Together, we can ensure new solutions and methods to combat
the rise of diabetes in Aarhus and globally. We need to
strengthen previous efforts to support and empower citizens to
take responsibility for their own health and thereby ensure,
that more people live a healthier and better life without
chronical disease. With the realization of a new social
investment bond in Aarhus, we have taken a big step in terms of
preventing diabetes, and we look forward to sharing our
know-how.”
– Christian Budde, Alderman for the Department of Health and Care, Aarhus
Aarhus smiler – sundhedspolitik 2020-24, City of Aarhus 2020 (in
Danish)
Diabeteshandleplan – sammen om diabetes, City of Aarhus 2018 (in Danish)
