The articles in this volume of the journal examine societal phenomena and conflicts and their severe consequences on public health. As a result, solutions for these consequences might be identified in socioeconomic and sociocultural issues and their political surface phenomena. Thus, the articles may offer hints on societal sources at best; however, not all of them address politically manageable solutions.

Dastgiri and coauthors analyse more than 100 cases of self-immolation, nearly 80% are female, mainly with respect to the length of survival. Further studies should not only describe the phenomenon and refer to the prognosis but elucidate socioeconomic sources and preventive strategies.

Sato offers a statistical analysis of economic aspects of the German Long-Term Care Insurance System, differing in the 16 German states (“Länder”). The system differs as to the economic situations of these states. Not surprisingly, for example, in the five eastern states—before the German re-unification parts of the former socialist German Democratic Republic—these economic resources are lower because of the present de-industrialisation. The authors try to offer informative references to other countries developing long-term care insurance systems.

The resonsibility for public health problems such as obesity or smoke-related diseases are discussed by Fahlquist from the point of view of moral philosophy, i.e. moral norms, as well as of the efficiency of offered prevention and care.

Hurrelmann and Richter contribute to a conceptualisation of adolescent health-risk behaviour. They discuss relationships between development processes, socialisation and risk behaviour, applying a psychosocial stress model in order to offer conclusions for research and health-promoting strategies.

Gericke reviews and discusses different funding mechanisms for the Egypt health care system: tax-based financing versus social health insurance. He argues in favour of the present tax-based scheme.

The manuscript of Javaher, Seidel and Diercks pertains to the participation in disease management of a health insurance company. The authors delineate characteristics and assessment of the process as well as outcome parameters of the program.

The last contribution of Hu and co-authors outlines a framework to a public health emergency management system, a topic that has become important in considering, e.g., SARS or influenza.