Ill health and crime in Stockholm’s suburbs worry Finance Region Councilor Iréne Svenonius (M).
A project is now being launched with targeted health talks – which, among other things, will warn of the risks of large families and overcrowding.
– I think that as a parent you have to think about how many children you can take care of, says Svenonius.
The decision has been made and 15 million has been set aside. For three years, starting in 2022, approximately 1,700 people in areas of exclusion will be offered health talks by the Stockholm Region.
The region’s heaviest politician, Iréne Svenonius (M), says that the talks should be about things like exercise and diet, solid advice to be able to live a long and healthy life.
But another question must be asked, says Svenonius.
– Namely, to address the difficult conversation about overcrowding and the risks that can occur for the children if you live in a crowded area and have very many children. Also how to do to have fewer children. Many people may think it is obvious, but it is not everywhere.
Do you simply want families to be smaller in these areas?
– I think that as a parent you have to think about how many children you can take care of.
“It is a reality”
Svenonius says that every woman should have the freedom to decide for herself and that the family should know the consequences of overcrowding. Both for the children to feel good and for the parents to be able to work.
– It is about giving people tools to make decisions and understand connections, she says.
But you do not do that today, do you mean?
– We see that the ill health rates are higher where we have high unemployment, exclusion and overcrowded families with very many children. That’s a reality.
Skärholmen, Södertälje, Spånga-Tensta and Rinkeby-Kista have been highlighted as suitable districts for the pilot project.
Svenonius mentions some examples. Like it’s hard to read homework in a crowded and noisy apartment. Or that girls tend to help at home in large families – while the boys instead wander around among the apartment buildings.
– We know that criminal gangs try to recruit boys who are out in the neighborhoods. It can be very tough for parents to resist once they are sewn into a gang because they do not want to be at home.
May be more in the future
Politically, there is a strong political support behind the project.
– Basically, this is about supporting people to a good and healthy life. In the long run, however, we want to introduce health talks throughout the region to reduce the health gaps, says Aida Hadzialic (S), regional councilor in opposition.
To investigate whether the health conversations give the desired effect, various parameters will be followed up. It could be dental health or the presence of obesity and diabetes. The results should then be compared with reference groups that have not had health interviews – to see if there has been any noticeable difference.
The hope is that the project will provide knowledge to be able to build on the work with health talks in the future.