Health overshoot day: mindset voor verandering
van: Dries Steinmeijer
Dutch Design Week (DDW) took place from 22 to 30 October. With 350,000 visitors, it was a successful edition. The Embassy of Health's 'Chronic Health' exhibition in the Klokgebouw was also very well attended. Máxima MC and Trudo were part of this exhibition with the stimulating project 'Health Overshoot Day'.
What is 'Health Overshoot Day'?
Health Overshoot Day (HOD) is the fictional date when the demand for help and support in health becomes greater than society and the healthcare system can handle. What does a fair distribution of limited available care look like in the Netherlands of 2040?
Imagine: in 2040, all Dutch people will be required to calculate their personal HOD on their 50th birthday. Based on personal health data, lifestyle and general outlook based on DNA and gender, it is calculated from which point onwards the state can no longer provide their care. The personal consequences are made transparent and people are given tools that show how they can positively influence their HOD.
What was there to see and experience?
We took visitors into the future, where the number of care needs continues to rise sharply. Who is responsible for people's health? And how do we organise that, now that the demand for care is increasing and the system is threatening to get bogged down? Thrilling, extraordinary and possibly a touch confrontational. It certainly was!
Willingness to change
DDW visitors could have their fictional Health Overshoot Day calculated. People already have to do or refrain from doing things now to avoid developing certain ailments in their old age. The question is whether they are willing to take a preventive approach to their health in order to live longer in good health and reduce the pressure on healthcare. Using the Health Overshoot Day model, visitors were stimulated to think about this issue. And will they act on it?
New insights through over 6,500 answers
During DDW, visitors to Health Overshoot Day could fill in a survey and answer one or more questions. We received over 6,500 responses. Among other things, this shows that visitors are willing to think about the topic and act accordingly. This is reflected in the three questions and answers asked:
Will you work on your health preventively if this delays your Health Overshoot Day by 5 years? 85% of visitors answered 'yes'. 15% answered 'no'.
Healthcare is under great pressure. Do you think you are entitled to unlimited care if you do not work on your health preventively? 42% of visitors answered 'yes'. 58% answered 'no'.
Do you think a landlord should be allowed, in addition to the regular provider of care, to help its residents work on their health preventively? 77% of visitors answered 'yes'. 23% answered 'no'.
Mindset for change
With this, we wanted to encourage people to change their mindset: make them think about a chronic healthy society and their own role in it. In Expedition VitalHealth, Máxima MC and Trudo together explore their changing role and responsibilities within preventive healthcare. In our opinion, this has succeeded. This exhibition and survey have given us new insights, which we will further explore and translate into concrete expeditions. For us, it was a very informative and successful DDW edition. Hopefully we can give this a nice follow-up next year. See you soon!
