Suchergebnisse

Η πανδημία COVID-19 προκάλεσε καταστροφικές συνέπειες στις κοινωνίες, τις οικονομίες και τα συστήματα υγειονομικής περίθαλψης σε όλον τον κόσμο, καθώς επηρέασε πολλούς κοινωνικούς, οικονομικούς και υγειονομικούς προσδιοριστές τους. Η Ευρώπη βρέθηκε αντιμέτωπη με μια από τις πιο σημαντικές κρίσεις στην πρόσφατη ιστορία της, όχι μόνο λόγω των οικονομικών προκλήσεων που δημιούργησε η πανδημία COVID-19 αλλά και λόγω της σημαντικής πολιτικής της διάστασης. Ο στόχος του παρόντος είναι να παρουσιάσει τις διαφορετικές στρατηγικές που ανέπτυξαν τα ευρωπαϊκά κράτη για την παρακολούθηση και τον περιορισμό της πανδημίας κατά το πρώτο της κύμα, καθώς και την πολιτική απάντηση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης συνολικά. Από την αποτίμηση των στρατηγικών αντιμετώπισης της πανδημίας στην Ευρώπη προκύπτει ότι ενώ οι παρεμβάσεις των κρατών - μελών διέφεραν τόσο ως προς το περιεχόμενο όσο και ως προς το χρόνο ανταπόκρισης, η ΕΕ κινητοποιήθηκε άμεσα και με τρόπο που συνέβαλε στη διατήρηση, στο μέτρο του εφικτού, της οικονομικής και κοινωνικής ζωής, οι οποίες διαταράχθηκαν από την πρωτοφανή αυτή απειλή. ; COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our world, affecting societies, economies, and healthcare systems across the globe, while changing many social, economic, and healthcare determinants. Europe is facing one of the most critical crises in its recent history, not only because of the economic challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created but also because of its significant political dimension. The aim of this paper is to provide a descriptive analysis of the different strategies European member states developed to monitor and contain the outbreak during the first wave, and the policy response of the European Union (EU) altogether. Despite the different approaches and time response in tackling the pandemic at its very beginning, EU quickly demonstrated a successful policy response that helped maintain the structure of the economy and sustain societies in the face of this exogenous shock.

Aim: Clarity on health expenditures is essential for the timely identification of risks that jeopardize the democratic provision of health services and the credibility of health insurance systems. Furthermore, observing health outcomes with geographical scope is essential for making multilateral associations. This study aimed at conveying information on the variability of important economic parameters of the health sector of Serbia and Greece from 2007 to 2012, when the most serious financial crisis in the post-war economic history hit the global economy.Methods: Exchange rates, purchase-power-parities (PPP) and price indices were used for the bilateral review of health and pharmaceutical expenditure dynamics during 2007-2012. Prescription and dispensing changes were also studied taking into account the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) structure of drugs consumed.Results: Greece was forced to cut down its total health care and pharmaceutical expenditure and mainly its out-of-pocket payments were more seriously affected by the recession. Surprisingly, emerging market of Serbia, although severely damaged by global recession, succeeded to maintain 19% growth of its per capita health expenditure and even 25% increase of its per capita spending on pharmaceuticals. Innovative pharmaceuticals showed an upward trend in both countries.Conclusions: These two countries might serve as an example of two distinct pathways of mature and emerging health care markets during financial constraints caused by global recession. Our findings show that producing disease-based feedback, in the long run, may empower the assessment of the return on investment on medical technology and healthcare systems' cost-effectiveness.

Research evidence suggests that access to health care is the key influential factor for improved population health outcomes and health care system sustainability. Although the importance of addressing barriers in access to health care across European countries is well documented, little has been done to improve the situation. This is due to different definitions, approaches and policies, and partly due to persisting disparities in access within and between European countries. To bridge this gap, the Patient Access Partnership (PACT) developed (a) the '5As' definition of access, which details the five critical elements (adequacy, accessibility, affordability, appropriateness, and availability) of access to health care, (b) a multi-stakeholders' approach for mapping access, and (c) a 13-item questionnaire based on the 5As definition in an effort to address these obstacles and to identify best practices. These tools are expected to contribute effectively to addressing access barriers in practice, by suggesting a common framework and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise, in order to improve access to health care between and within European countries.

A European Union (EU) member state, Cyprus is a country with a population of ~850,000 citizens. According to the Cyprus Ministry of Health, since 2009, more than 3,000 new incidents with neoplasm are diagnosed every year (i.e., 3% increasing rate). Projections estimate an average annual increase of 2.2% of new incidents until 2040. However, the National Health System (NHS) of Cyprus lacks a Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) care framework and infrastructure. Patients can only have a PET/CT exam in the private sector, either in Cyprus or a neighboring country (e.g., Greece or Israel). This requires the government of Cyprus to cover financial expenses related to medical treatments while the patients may also need to cover their expenses for traveling to a neighboring country. This study presents a cost analysis to examine whether the integration of a PET/CT with, or without, an F(18)-FDG cyclotron unit in the NHS of Cyprus is an efficient investment that can be recovered within the unit's service life. To perform this study, we estimated necessary resources for purchasing and operating such unit for a period of 15 years. The results of this study indicate that an investment in a PET/CT unit is not financially viable. Alternatives, such as the reimbursement of PET/CT operated by the private sector is recommended.

Introduction: Patient participation has emerged as a preponderant theme in contemporary health and healthcare; however there is a dearth of research on the degree and impact of collective patient participation on shaping health policy. In this frame, the current study endeavored to validate a scale for assessing patients' association (PA) participation in health policy processes. Furthermore, PAs' participation in health policy decision making in Greece was explored.

The purpose of the present study is to estimate the impact of pharmaceutical spending reduction on public revenue, based on data from the national health accounts as well as on reports of Greece's organizations. The methodology of the analysis is structured in two basic parts. The first part presents the urgency for rapid cutbacks on public pharmaceutical costs due to the financial crisis and provides a conceptual framework for the contribution of the Greek pharmaceutical branch to the country's economy. In the second part, we perform a quantitative analysis for the estimation of multiplier effects of public pharmaceutical expenditure reduction on main revenue sources, such as taxes and social contributions. We also fit projection models with multipliers as regressands for the evaluation of the efficiency of the particular fiscal measure in the short run. According to the results, nearly half of the gains from the measure's application is offset by financially equivalent decreases in the government's revenue, i.e., losses in tax revenues and social security contributions alone, not considering any other direct or indirect costs. The findings of multipliers' high value and increasing short-term trend imply the measure's inefficiency henceforward and signal the risk of vicious circles that will provoke the economy's deprivation of useful resources.

Abstract Background The aim of the present study was to evaluate temporal changes on oral health knowledge and attitudes among two populations of young Greek males (age 19–29 years) undergoing their military training. A secondary aim was to identify socioeconomic trends that may have influenced the above. Methods A total of 2,764 healthy subjects (1511 in 1985, and 1253 in 1996) answered a standardized questionnaire of oral health issues. Respondents were stratified in 3 groups, according to their educational status (ES); their responses were compared using the chi-square statistic. The evaluation of socioeconomic indicators utilized longitudinal data from the national Household Expenditures Survey. Results An overall improvement was noted in the majority of "Knowledge" and "Attitudes" variables in 1996, as compared to 1985. Education seems to play an important role in both knowledge and attitudes. These changes may also be partially attributed to a shift in consuming standards from the coverage of main needs to income disposal directed towards the achievement of better quality of life.

The dawn of artificial intelligence (AI) as a platform for improved health care provides unparalleled opportunity to enhance patient and clinical team performance, minimize costs, and reduce the health effects of the community. It provides a broad description of the legal and legislative context of the AI tools intended for the implementation of health care; highlights the need for equality, accessibility, the need for a human rights goal for the work; and identifies important factors for further advancement. AI framework describes the obstacles, drawbacks, and best practices for AI development, adoption, and management. It brings in a paradigm shift to healthcare, driven by rising clinical data access and rapid advancement in analytical techniques. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to revolutionize the practice of medicine and change the delivery of healthcare. This paper discusses the role of artificial intelligence in the advancement of health care and associated fields. It also discusses, the value of artificial intelligence in various healthcare sectors' transformation.

The dawn of artificial intelligence (AI) as a platform for improved health care provides unparalleled opportunity to enhance patient and clinical team performance, minimize costs, and reduce the health effects of the community. It provides a broad description of the legal and legislative context of the AI tools intended for the implementation of health care; highlights the need for equality, accessibility, the need for a human rights goal for the work; and identifies important factors for further advancement. AI framework describes the obstacles, drawbacks, and best practices for AI development, adoption, and management. It brings in a paradigm shift to healthcare, driven by rising clinical data access and rapid advancement in analytical techniques. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to revolutionize the practice of medicine and change the delivery of healthcare. This paper discusses the role of artificial intelligence in the advancement of health care and associated fields. It also discusses, the value of artificial intelligence in various healthcare sectors' transformation.

Introduction: The stigma of mental illness and the ensuing social exclusion are due to the lack of knowledge on the causality of mental illness. Aim: The purpose of this study was to record the stigmatic attitudes of health professionals towards depression, patients suffering from it and the available therapeutic approaches. Material and Methods: The sample of the study included 609 health professionals working in the General Hospital of Corinth. The collection of the empirical material was performed using an anonymous questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed with the statistical program SPSS 17.0. Results: Although the health professionals showed more optimistic attitudes towards the abilities of the mentally ill, they seem to maintain stereotypes, proving that stigmatization of the mentally ill and prejudice around mental illness continue to exist. Participants identified psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions as the most effective forms of therapy, such as supportive social destination (74.4%), healthy eating and physical activity (67.9%), psychoanalysis (60.6%), relaxation techniques (60.5%) and counselling (53.2%), recording ambivalent attitudes towards psychiatric medicines, questioning their effectiveness. The economic crisis has had a direct impact on health professionals as well burdened their psyche (78.3%) and created problems in everyday work (86.7%). Conclusion: Health professionals must be protagonists, free from the stigma attached to mental illness as only in this way will they be able to transmit optimism and feelings of acceptance.

Although the importance of patient participation in the design and evaluation of health programs and services is well-documented, there is scarcity of research with regard to patient association (PA) participation in health policy decision-making processes. To this end, the present study aimed to validate further a previously developed instrument as well as to investigate the degree of PA participation in health policy decision-making in Cyprus. A convenient sample of 114 patients-members of patients associations took part in the study. Participants were recruited from an umbrella organization, the Pancyprian Federation of Patient Associations and Friends (PFPA). PA participation in health policy decision-making was assessed with the Health Democracy Index (HDI), an original 8-item tool. To explore its psychometric properties, Cronbach α was computed as regards to its internal consistency, while its convergent validity was tested against a self-rated question enquiring about the degree of PA participation in health policy decision-making. The findings revealed that the HDI has good internal consistency and convergent validity. Furthermore, PAs were found to participate more in consultations in health-related organizations and the Ministry of Health (MoH) as well as in reforms or crucial decisions in health policy. Lower levels were documented with regard to participation in hospital boards, ethics committees in clinical trials and health technology assessment (HTA) procedures. Overall, PA participation levels were found to be lower than the mid-point of the scale. Targeted interventions aiming to facilitate patients' involvement in health policy decision-making processes and to increase its impact are greatly needed in Cyprus.

Background: Only a handful of studies have explored the effect of the financial crisis on public attitudes to mental illness. Aims: This study examines changes in lay attitudes to depression and psychiatric medication between 2009 and 2014 in Attica region. Furthermore, it explored a potential interaction with employment status. Methods: Data were drawn from two surveys conducted in 2009 and 2014 using the same sampling procedure, interview mode, and survey instrument. Specifically, a random and representative sample of 586 people was recruited in 2009 and of 604 in 2014. Attitudes to depression were measured by the Personal Stigma subscale of the Depression Stigma Scale and attitudes to psychiatric medication by a self-constructed scale with good psychometric properties. Data collection occurred via telephone. Results: There has been no overall change in lay attitudes to depression. Nonetheless, a positive change was recorded with regard to the belief that depression is a sign of personal weakness and a negative change with respect to people with depression being dangerous. Attitudes to psychiatric medication have worsened during the study period. Employment status was not found to interact with the survey year. Conclusion: Anti-stigma efforts should be tailored on counteracting the dangerousness stereotype, while they should prioritize targeting attitudes to psychiatric medication