Greek austerity led to more death, disease

[Ronan Kelly]

Greek austerity led to more death, disease (AP)
Date
April 20, 2013
Read later
Kerry Sheridan

WASHINGTON: When Greece's economy took a plunge, murders and disease rates soared, a study that suggests the impact of austerity cuts may be worse than expected reveals.

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Among the general population of 11 million people, suicide rates rose 16 per cent and murders rose nearly 26 per cent from 2007 to 2009 Meanwhile, deaths from infectious disease increased 13 per cent in those two years.

Among men under 65, who were more likely to face unemployment, the numbers were higher - a 23 per cent higher suicide rate, a 25 per cent rise in murder rate and a 27.6 per cent rise in deaths from infectious diseases. When programs like needle-exchanges for drug users and condoms for at-risk groups were slashed, the disease rates ballooned.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/greek-a...ath-disease-20130419-2i5bd.html#ixzz2QzztLlE7

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Greek austerity led to more death, disease

Accepted on: Oct 19, 2012
Economic Crisis, Restrictive Policies, and the Population?s Health and Health Care: The Greek Case

Elias Kondilis, MD, PhD, Stathis Giannakopoulos, MD, PhD, Magda Gavana, MD, PhD, Ioanna Ierodiakonou, MD, PhD, Howard Waitzkin, MD, PhD, and Alexis Benos, MD, PhD
Elias Kondilis, Stathis Giannakopoulos, Magda Gavana, and Alexis Benos are with the Laboratory of Hygiene and Social Medicine?Medical School, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. Ioanna Ierodiakonou is with 3rd Psychiatry Department AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University. Howard Waitzkin is with the Departments of Sociology and Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.

Correspondence should be sent to Elias Kondilis, Laboratory of Hygiene and Social Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece (e-mail: eliaskon@med.auth.gr). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking the ?Reprints? link.
Contributors

E. Kondilis designed the study, collected and analyzed the data, and prepared the article. S. Giannakopoulos, M. Gavana, and I. Ierodiakonou contributed to data analysis and interpretation and article editing. H. Waitzkin and A. Benos supervised the study design, data analysis, and article preparation, and edited the article. All authors have read and approved the final version of the article.



ABSTRACT
The global economic crisis has affected the Greek economy with unprecedented severity, making Greece an important test of the relationship between socioeconomic determinants and a population?s well-being.

Suicide and homicide mortality rates among men increased by 22.7% and 27.6%, respectively, between 2007 and 2009, and mental disorders, substance abuse, and infectious disease morbidity showed deteriorating trends during 2010 and 2011. Utilization of public inpatient and primary care services rose by 6.2% and 21.9%, respectively, between 2010 and 2011, while the Ministry of Health?s total expenditures fell by 23.7% between 2009 and 2011.

In a time of economic turmoil, rising health care needs and increasing demand for public services collide with austerity and privatization policies, exposing Greece?s population health to further risks. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print April 18, 2013: e1?e8. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.301126)
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2012.301126