Health promotion and prevention are comparatively new areas of activity for social insurance institutions and other parties active in the field of social security. In the face of economic and social change and the new risk situations resulting therefrom, health promotion and prevention will in future constitute a priority area for social insurance institutions. The examples set by the social security systems in Germany, Finland, Austria, Poland and Sweden demonstrate the options for action developed in these countries in order on the one hand to respond appropriately to the challenges common to all countries (ever tighter budgets vis-à-vis rising costs from advances in medicine) whilst on the other hand ensuring that the sprouting young plant of health promotion and prevention does not wither. [back cover]
