Set out by the United Nations (U.N) in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to create a better quality of life for individuals globally. Among the 17 goals, the third aims to promote good health and well-being worldwide. Austria has a robust health care system to cover most of the population. However, its poorest province, Burgenland, still faces some challenges. The Sustainable Development Report (2023) documented that Austria has made “moderate improvement” toward achieving SDG 3, demonstrating some progress.

What Progress Has Austria Made With SDG 3?

SDG 3 is subdivided into smaller health-related objectives tailored to each country’s specific needs, making the broader target more attainable. For Austria, these include decreasing dependency on alcohol and lowering the number of daily smokers. Another aim of SDG 3 is to slow down diagnoses of tuberculosis (TB), an infection of the lungs, on a global scale. In 1989, Austria saw a spike in TB infections, which had to be lowered for better overall health of the country.

Evidence of progress towards reducing TB diagnoses is documented in the Sustainable Development Report, with low disease rates among the population being reported. Additionally, the report notes that this goal will likely be maintained in the future. This is backed up by data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), whose research demonstrates the near eradication of TB, indicating success in improving physical health: a positive update on SDG 3 in Austria.

What Aspects of SDG 3 Require More Improvement?

When reporting updates on SDG 3 in Austria, it is crucial to recognize that there are still some hurdles to overcome. The focus is particularly in the area of addiction. This implies a need for increased efforts to achieve progress within the country’s health sector, specifically in mental health.

More specifically, this manifests as high smoking rates, which, in turn, may lead to further complicated (and long-term) health issues, putting more strain on health care departments. This is also supported by researchers at the Medical University of Vienna, who state that, from 2007 to 2016, “Austria performed poor in implementation of Framework Convention of Tobacco Control,” highlighting the need to lower smoking rates for better health outcomes.

How Can These Areas Be Targeted in the Future?

One nongovernmental organization (NGO), the Austrian Council on Smoking and Health, founded in 1965, does important work promoting anti-smoking projects for the public, such as campaigning for legislation against smoking indoors. This law was then put forward in 2009. The organization is continuing to draw attention to high smoking rates in Austria by targeting younger generations and spreading awareness of the dangers of cigarettes and other popular nicotine products, such as vapes.

Its current approach consists of thinking ahead to create a smoke-free future. Serving as evidence for lowering smoking rates and decreasing the occurrence of nicotine use. The work of this successful independent organization demonstrates that high smoking rates in Austria are likely to decline in the future, thus aligning with the goals of SDG 3.

Final Remark

The updates on SDG 3 in Austria indicate that the country is making positive progress in improving the health and well-being of its population. Moreover, the future of better health in the country looks promising. NGOs are actively addressing current issues in SDG 3. They are accomplishing this by promoting anti-smoking education among the Austrian youth, providing resources to create better health programs and offering motivation schemes to quit smoking.

– Amelie Bunce
Photo: Unsplash