Ecological deprivation indices at the level of spatial units are often used to measure and monitor inequalities in health despite the possibility of ecological fallacy. For the purpose of this study, the European Deprivation Index (EDI) was used, which is based on Townsend theorization of relative deprivation. The Slovenian version of EDI (SI-EDI) at the aggregated level (SI-EDI-A) was calculated to the level of the national assembly polling stations. The SI-EDI was also calculated at the individual level (SI-EDI-I) by the method that represents a methodological innovation. The degree of ecological fallacy was estimated with the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves. By calculating the area under the ROC curve, the ecological fallacy was evaluated numerically. Agreement between measuring deprivation with SI-EDI-A and SI-EDI-I was analysed by graphical methods and formal testing. The association of the socio-economic status and the cancer risk was analysed in all first cancer cases diagnosed in Slovenia at age 16 and older in the period 2011-2013. Analysis was done for each level separately, for SI-EDI-I and for SI-EDI-A. The Poisson regression model was implemented in both settings but adapted specifically for aggregated and individual data. The study clearly shows that ecological fallacy is unavoidable. However, although the association of cancer incidence and socio-economic deprivation at individual and aggregated levels was not the same for all cancer sites, the results were very similar for the majority of investigated cancer sites and especially for cancers associated with unhealthy lifestyles. The results confirm the assumptions from authors' previous research that using the level of the national assembly polling stations would be the acceptable way to aggregate data when explaining inequalities in health in Slovenia in ecological studies.
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the provision and use of healthcare services throughout the world. In Slovenia, an epidemic was officially declared between mid-March and mid-May 2020. Although all non-essential health care services were put on hold by government decree, oncological services were listed as an exception. Nevertheless, as cancer control depends also on other health services and additionally major changes in people's behaviour likely occurred, we aimed to analyse whether cancer diagnosis and management were affected during the COVID-19 epidemic in Slovenia. METHODS: We analysed routine data for the period November 2019 through May 2020 from three sources: (1) from the Slovenian Cancer Registry we analysed data on pathohistological and clinical practice cancer notifications from two major cancer centres in Ljubljana and Maribor; (2) from the e-referral system we analysed data on all referrals in Slovenia issued for oncological services, stratified by type of referral; and (3) from the administrative data of the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana we analysed data on outpatient visits by type as well as on diagnostic imaging performed. RESULTS: Compared to the November 2019 – February 2020 average, the decrease in April 2020 was about 43% and 29% for pathohistological and clinical cancer notifications; 33%, 46% and 85% for first, control and genetic counselling referrals; 19% (53%), 43% (72%) and 20% (21%) for first (and control) outpatient visits at the radiotherapy, surgery and medical oncology sectors at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, and 48%, 76%, and 42% for X-rays, mammograms and ultrasounds performed at the Institute, respectively. The number of CT and MRI scans performed was not affected. CONCLUSIONS: Significant drops in first referrals for oncological services, first visits and imaging studies performed at the Institute, as well as cancer notifications in April 2020 point to a possibility of a delayed cancer diagnosis for some patients during the first surge of SARS-CoV-2 ...
Introduction: Ecological deprivation indices belong to essential instruments for monitoring and understanding health inequalities. Our aim was to develop the SI-EDI, a newly derived European Deprivation Index for Slovenia. We intend to provide researchers and policy-makers in our country with a relevant tool for measuring and reducing the socioeconomic inequalities in health, and even at a broader level. Methods: Data from the European survey on Income and Living Conditions and Slovenian national census for the year 2011 were used in the SI-EDI construction. The concept of relative deprivation was used where deprivation refers to unmet need(s), which is caused by lack of all kinds of resources, not only material. The SI-EDI was constructed for 210 Slovenian municipalities. Its geographical distribution was compared to the distribution of two existing deprivation scores previously applied in health inequality research in Slovenia. Results: There were 36% of adults recognized as deprived in Slovenia in 2011. SI-EDI was calculated using 10 census variables that were associated with individual deprivation. A clear east-to-west gradient was detected with the most deprived municipalities in the eastern part of the country. The two existing deprivation scores correlate significantly with the SI-EDI. Conclusions: A new deprivation index, the SI-EDI, is grounded on the internationally established scientific concept, can be replicated over time and, crucially, provides an account of the socioeconomic and cultural particularities of the Slovenian population. The SI-EDI could be used by the stakeholders and the governmental and nongovernmental sectors in Slovenia, with the goal of better understanding health inequalities in Slovenia.
International audience ; Introduction: Ecological deprivation indices belong to essential instruments for monitoring and understanding health inequalities. Our aim was to develop the SI-EDI, a newly derived European Deprivation Index for Slovenia. We intend to provide researchers and policy-makers in our country with a relevant tool for measuring and reducing the socioeconomic inequalities in health, and even at a broader level. Methods: Data from the European survey on Income and Living Conditions and Slovenian national census for the year 2011 were used in the SI-EDI construction. The concept of relative deprivation was used where deprivation refers to unmet need(s), which is caused by lack of all kinds of resources, not only material. The SI-EDI was constructed for 210 Slovenian municipalities. Its geographical distribution was compared to the distribution of two existing deprivation scores previously applied in health inequality research in Slovenia. Results: There were 36% of adults recognized as deprived in Slovenia in 2011. SI-EDI was calculated using 10 census variables that were associated with individual deprivation. A clear east-to-west gradient was detected with the most deprived municipalities in the eastern part of the country. The two existing deprivation scores correlate significantly with the SI-EDI. Conclusions: A new deprivation index, the SI-EDI, is grounded on the internationally established scientific concept, can be replicated over time and, crucially, provides an account of the socioeconomic and cultural particularities of the Slovenian population. The SI-EDI could be used by the stakeholders and the governmental and nongovernmental sectors in Slovenia, with the goal of better understanding health inequalities in Slovenia. ; Uvod: Kazalniki, ki na ravni izbranih geografskih enot prikazujejo socialno-ekonomsko blagostanje oziroma primanjkljaj prebivalstva, so danes temeljno orodje za preučevanje in razumevanje neenakosti v zdravju. V prispevku predstavljamo SI-EDI, novo razvit kazalnik ...
International audience ; Introduction: Ecological deprivation indices belong to essential instruments for monitoring and understanding health inequalities. Our aim was to develop the SI-EDI, a newly derived European Deprivation Index for Slovenia. We intend to provide researchers and policy-makers in our country with a relevant tool for measuring and reducing the socioeconomic inequalities in health, and even at a broader level. Methods: Data from the European survey on Income and Living Conditions and Slovenian national census for the year 2011 were used in the SI-EDI construction. The concept of relative deprivation was used where deprivation refers to unmet need(s), which is caused by lack of all kinds of resources, not only material. The SI-EDI was constructed for 210 Slovenian municipalities. Its geographical distribution was compared to the distribution of two existing deprivation scores previously applied in health inequality research in Slovenia. Results: There were 36% of adults recognized as deprived in Slovenia in 2011. SI-EDI was calculated using 10 census variables that were associated with individual deprivation. A clear east-to-west gradient was detected with the most deprived municipalities in the eastern part of the country. The two existing deprivation scores correlate significantly with the SI-EDI. Conclusions: A new deprivation index, the SI-EDI, is grounded on the internationally established scientific concept, can be replicated over time and, crucially, provides an account of the socioeconomic and cultural particularities of the Slovenian population. The SI-EDI could be used by the stakeholders and the governmental and nongovernmental sectors in Slovenia, with the goal of better understanding health inequalities in Slovenia. ; Uvod: Kazalniki, ki na ravni izbranih geografskih enot prikazujejo socialno-ekonomsko blagostanje oziroma primanjkljaj prebivalstva, so danes temeljno orodje za preučevanje in razumevanje neenakosti v zdravju. V prispevku predstavljamo SI-EDI, novo razvit kazalnik primanjkljaja na ravni slovenskih občin. SI-EDI je slovenska različica evropskega kazalnika primanjkljaja (European Deprivation Index – EDI), ki ga v javnozdravstvenih raziskavah že uspešno uporabljajo v Franciji, Španiji, Italiji, Angliji in na Portugalskem. Namen raziskave je tudi preveriti veljavnost SI-EDI in ga tako kot ustrezno orodje ponuditi raziskovalcem in odločevalcem. Metode: Za izdelavo SI-EDI smo uporabili podatke za leto 2011 iz dveh virov: (1) podatke slovenske različice Ankete o življenjskih pogojih, ki jo na zahtevo Eurostata na reprezentativnem vzorcu posameznikov letno izvaja nacionalni statistični urad, in (2) podatke iz popisa prebivalstva. Izračun temelji na konceptu relativnega primanjkljaja, ki ga je prvi opisal Townsend, danes pa se v nekoliko prilagojeni obliki uporablja tudi v izračunu kazalnikov primanjkljaja na ravni Evropske unije. V konceptu relativnega primanjkljaja so pomanjkanju podvrženi posamezniki, ki jim ni omogočeno zadovoljevanje različnih vrst potreb, ne samo materialnih. SI-EDI za 210 slovenskih občin smo izračunali po enaki metodi, kot se uporablja za EDI. Njegovo veljavnost smo preizkušali s primerjavo z dvema obstoječima kazalnikoma, ki sta se v slovenskem prostoru v zadnjem obdobju uporabljala v raziskavah in prikazih socialno-ekonomske neenakosti v zdravju po občinah: koeficientom razvitosti občin, ki ga uporablja NIJZ, ter kazalnikom primanjkljaja, ki ga je v dosedanjih analizah bremena raka uporabljala naša raziskovalna skupina. Rezultati: Med štirimi temeljnimi življenjskimi potrebami (dostopnost počitnic, zmožnost ogrevati bivališče, osebnega računalnika in avtomobila), ki so se v raziskavi izkazale za povezane z objektivno ali subjektivno revščino, vsaj ene izmed njih ni zadovoljilo 36 % odraslih. Ti so bili opredeljeni kot prikrajšani na individualni ravni. Njihove lastnosti so bile prenesene na populacijsko raven v agregirani obliki, tako da smo za izračun SI-EDI uporabili 10 ustreznih popisnih spremenljivk. Na zemljevidu SI-EDI po občinah je jasno viden trend večanja socialno-ekonomskega primanjkljaja od zahoda proti vzhodu države. Največje vrednosti SI-EDI imajo področja na skrajnem severovzhodu in jugovzhodu države. Povezava SI-EDI z dvema obstoječima kazalnikoma primanjkljaja je bila statistično značilna. Zaključki: Nov kazalnik primanjkljaja SI-EDI je zasnovan na mednarodno priznanem znanstvenem konceptu, lahko se replicira v času in prostoru, ter kar je najpomembnejše, odraža socialno-ekonomske in kulturne posebnosti populacije. Prepričani smo, da lahko služi kot ustrezno orodje pri razumevanju socialno-ekonomskih razlik v zdravju, zagotovo pa je lahko uporaben tudi drugod, ne samo na javnozdravstvenem področju.
International audience ; Introduction: Ecological deprivation indices belong to essential instruments for monitoring and understanding health inequalities. Our aim was to develop the SI-EDI, a newly derived European Deprivation Index for Slovenia. We intend to provide researchers and policy-makers in our country with a relevant tool for measuring and reducing the socioeconomic inequalities in health, and even at a broader level. Methods: Data from the European survey on Income and Living Conditions and Slovenian national census for the year 2011 were used in the SI-EDI construction. The concept of relative deprivation was used where deprivation refers to unmet need(s), which is caused by lack of all kinds of resources, not only material. The SI-EDI was constructed for 210 Slovenian municipalities. Its geographical distribution was compared to the distribution of two existing deprivation scores previously applied in health inequality research in Slovenia. Results: There were 36% of adults recognized as deprived in Slovenia in 2011. SI-EDI was calculated using 10 census variables that were associated with individual deprivation. A clear east-to-west gradient was detected with the most deprived municipalities in the eastern part of the country. The two existing deprivation scores correlate significantly with the SI-EDI. Conclusions: A new deprivation index, the SI-EDI, is grounded on the internationally established scientific concept, can be replicated over time and, crucially, provides an account of the socioeconomic and cultural particularities of the Slovenian population. The SI-EDI could be used by the stakeholders and the governmental and nongovernmental sectors in Slovenia, with the goal of better understanding health inequalities in Slovenia. ; Uvod: Kazalniki, ki na ravni izbranih geografskih enot prikazujejo socialno-ekonomsko blagostanje oziroma primanjkljaj prebivalstva, so danes temeljno orodje za preučevanje in razumevanje neenakosti v zdravju. V prispevku predstavljamo SI-EDI, novo razvit kazalnik ...
