The University of Eastern Finland is a partner in a four-year (2023–2027), EU-funded project called the Joint Action on Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes, JACARDI, which addresses the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes. The aim is to reduce the burden of these diseases both at the individual and societal levels.
CVD remains the leading cause of death in the EU and the prevalence of diabetes has also risen dramatically, with the number of adults living with the condition nearly doubling in the past decade. These chronic diseases pose a significant threat to individual health and well-being, while also straining healthcare systems and hindering social and economic development.
The JACARDI project will focus on the implementation of proven and effective practices in the treatment of CVD and diabetes through the execution of 142 pilot projects to reach the following objectives:
- Enhance health literacy and raise awareness about CVD and diabetes among the general population.
- Implement effective primary prevention measures, screening and improved care pathways for CVD and diabetes among high-risk groups.
- Enhance self-management support, and labour market participation for individuals diagnosed with CVD and diabetes.
- Improve data availability, quality, and accessibility across the patient journey.
- Promote equity in access to healthcare services and information, ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities regardless of language proficiency, abilities, age, or life situation.
The University of Eastern Finland’s contribution to the project is led by Professor of Social Policy Tomi Mäki-Opas. UEF participates in three different work packages, whose themes relate to effectiveness and cost-effectiveness research, as well as to effective models and evaluation methods. At the University of Eastern Finland, the project manager is Enkhjargal Batbaatar and the project also involves Ismo Linnosmaa, Mieke Rijken, Mika Linna, Olli Halminen and Tiina Laatikainen.
JACARDI is coordinated by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS). The initiative brings together 76 partners in 21 European countries. The project has received 53 million euros in funding, with the University of Eastern Finland’s share amounting to 740,000 euros. The funding for the project comes from the EU4Health programme, which works closely with the Health cluster of the Horizon Europe programme.
See project's website.
