Realising the potential of non-traditional data to improve health and wellbeing

Report by Stefaan Verhulst: “Europe has built data initiatives such as the European Open Science Cloud and the European Health Data Space, but these mainly focus on traditional sector-specific data. This paper argues that non-traditional data from platforms, sensors, mobility systems, and consumer behaviour could significantly improve health and well-being research. Evidence from more than 290 studies shows these datasets can help detect health risks earlier, identify inequalities, and connect environmental exposure to disease outcomes. To unlock this potential, Europe must overcome barriers including fragmented access, weak public trust, and short-term funding. The paper proposes six policy actions to create effective health data ecosystems…(More)”.