scholarly journals Infectious illnesses of young children: financial burden for rich countries - a literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Graichen

Abstract   While childcare assistance has indisputable positive effects on female employment and economic growth, children attending day care centres show a considerably higher number of infections compared to those raised at home. This is not only a substantial threat to the well-being of families, but also a major economic burden for society. This review aims at examining studies that describe and quantify the costs of illnesses that are possibly transmitted in kindergarten to enable development of policies and interventions. A scientific literature search was performed. The electronic databases PubMed and Medline were searched with keywords and MeSH terms (Cost of Illness; Health Care Costs; Child). Articles were considered relevant, if published after the year 2000 in English, if conducted in Europe, USA or Australia, examining contagious illnesses (respiratory, influenza(-like), gastrointestinal diseases) of children and if not solely focused on hospitalization costs. A total of 504 records were identified. After abstract and full text screening, 15 articles were selected. No article summarizes all illnesses that are possibly transmitted in kindergarten, studies rather estimate costs for one diagnosis or one symptom group only. Main cost buckets considered are direct medical, direct non-medical and indirect costs (mainly due to loss of workdays of caregivers). Focus and perspective of the studies and thus the quantification of costs differs widely (e.g., for respiratory illnesses per non-hospitalized case one study claims 123 vs. 49 Euro in neighbouring countries). Existing cost of illness studies cannot easily be combined to one overall cost estimation for sick kindergarten children, which is needed to foster public health actions and to enable cost-efficient design. However, solely looking at single illnesses already reveals the big potential which comes with reducing contagious illnesses in the child age and thus, the urgent need to action to relieve children and society. Key messages The economic burden arising from contagious illnesses among kindergarten children is substantial and reveals the need for policies and interventions to relieve children and society. Further research is needed to get a comprehensive view of cost of illnesses for children with illnesses transmitted in kindergarten to enable cost-efficient design of interventions.

GYNECOLOGY ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
Tatyana Yu Pestrikova ◽  
Elena A Yurasova ◽  
Igor V Yurasov ◽  
Tamara D Kovaleva

Relevance. Currently, women make up more than 40% of the global workforce and more than half of students studying at universities around the world. Women's education, especially at a high level, tends to increase female employment. The mismatch of the style and rhythm of modern life with a genetically determined and working millennium reproductive program requires the choice of a specific approach to social adaptation. Aim. Analysis of literary sources on the use of hormonal contraception as a method of social adaptation. Materials and methods. To write this review, domestic and foreign publications were searched in Russian and international search systems (PubMed, eLibrary, etc.) for the last 2-10 years. The review included articles from peer-reviewed literature. Results. The review describes the features of modern hormonal contraceptives. Their non-contraceptive effects are presented. The individual non-contraceptive effects of a combined oral contraceptive containing 30 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 2 mg of chlormadinone acetate were determined. It has been established that the use of this contraceptive helps to improve the well-being and mood of patients, which allows you to actively use this contraceptive in routine clinical practice with premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea, without the use of analgesics. Conclusions. The numerous positive effects of ethinyl estradiol and chlormadinone acetate allow the use of the drug as a means to increase social adaptation, and, consequently, improve the quality of life.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 988
Author(s):  
Ahmed Alghamdi ◽  
Eman Algarni ◽  
Bander Balkhi ◽  
Abdulaziz Altowaijri ◽  
Abdulaziz Alhossan

Heart failure (HF) is considered to be a global health problem that generates a significant economic burden. Despite the growing prevalence in Saudi Arabia, the economic burden of HF is not well studied. The aim of this study was to estimate the health care expenditures associated with HF in Saudi Arabia from a social perspective. We conducted a multicenter cost of illness (COI) study in two large governmental centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using 369 HF patients. A COI model was developed in order to estimate the direct medical costs associated with HF. The indirect costs of HF were estimated based on a human capital approach. Descriptive and inferential statistics were analyzed. The direct medical cost per HF patient was $9563. Hospitalization costs were the major driver in total spending, followed by medication and diagnostics costs. The cost significantly increased in line with the disease progression, ranging from $3671 in class I to $16,447 in class IV. The indirect costs per working HF patient were $4628 due to absenteeism, and $6388 due to presenteeism. The economic burden of HF is significantly high in Saudi Arabia. Decision makers need to focus on allocating resources towards strategies that prevent frequent hospitalizations and improve HF management and patient outcomes in order to lower the growing economic burden.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zihua Ma ◽  
Gongman Deng ◽  
Zhaolin Meng ◽  
Huazhang Wu

Background: Stroke is the second most common cause of mortality worldwide and the leading cause of death in China. It imposes a heavy financial burden on patients, especially for some social groups that are vulnerable to economic risks.Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively assess the magnitude of hospital and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs associated with stroke in Northeast China.Methods: Patients were selected via a multistage stratified cluster random sampling approach. We reviewed all patients’ records from 39 hospitals across six cities in Liaoning Province between 2015 and 2017. Cost characteristics of four major stroke types were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression analyses were employed to examine the determinants of hospitalization costs and OOP expenses.Results: A total of 138,757 patients were assessed for the medical costs. The mean hospitalization costs were $1,627, while the mean OOP expenses were $691, accounting for 42.5% of the total expenditures. Medication expenses were the largest contributor to hospitalization costs. The regression analysis suggested that age, length of stay (LOS), social identity, type of stroke, surgery, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, hospital level and hospital type were significantly correlated with hospitalization costs and OOP expenses.Conclusion: Stroke imposes a heavy financial burden on both patients and society in Liaoning Province, Northeast China. Results showed that there are some differences in the individual and social economic burden among different types of stroke. In addition, stroke patients share a high proportion of costs through OOP expenses, especially for poor social-economic status patients. Targeted intervention measures and specific policies are needed to reduce the individual and social economic burden of stroke as well as improve equity in health care among different social groups.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
A.F. Jităreanu ◽  
Elena Leonte ◽  
A. Chiran ◽  
Benedicta Drobotă

Abstract Advertising helps to establish a set of assumptions that the consumer will bring to all other aspects of their engagement with a given brand. Advertising provides tangible evidence of the financial credibility and competitive presence of an organization. Persuasion is becoming more important in advertising. In marketing, persuasive advertising acts to establish wants/motivations and beliefs/attitudes by helping to formulate a conception of the brand as being one which people like those in the target audience would or should prefer. Considering the changes in lifestyle and eating habits of a significant part of the population in urban areas in Romania, the paper aims to analyse how brands manage to differentiate themselves from competitors, to reposition themselves on the market and influence consumers, meeting their increasingly varied needs. Food brands on the Romanian market are trying, lately, to identify new methods of differentiation and new benefits for their buyers. Given that more and more consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about what they eat and the products’ health effects, brands struggle to highlight the fact that their products offer real benefits for the body. The advertisements have become more diversified and underline the positive effects, from the health and well - being point of view, that those foods offer (no additives and preservatives, use of natural ingredients, various vitamins and minerals or the fact that they are dietary). Advertising messages’ diversification is obvious on the Romanian market, in the context of an increasing concern of the population for the growing level of information of some major consumer segments.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8328
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Masullo ◽  
Luigi Maffei ◽  
Aniello Pascale ◽  
Vincenzo Paolo Senese ◽  
Simona De Stefano ◽  
...  

Road traffic noise is responsible for several negative health effects for citizens in modern cities. Inside urban parks, which citizens use for social inclusion and cohesion, psychological and physical restoration, and physical activities, road traffic noise may significantly reduce the potential of these places to induce or enhance well-being. Although access restriction schemes and screens could be effective solutions to limit noise inside urban park areas, preserving their potential regenerative role may engender mobility, social, aesthetic, and architectural issues. Due to the positive effects that natural elements and water sounds can have on human perception, and based on the previous findings of the beneficial effects of audio-visual installations, this paper investigates the possibility of using audio-visual installations that simply evoke some natural features to improve the restoration of individuals inside urban parks. The study has been carried out using immersive virtual environments in two different experimental laboratory sessions in Hong Kong (China) and Aversa (Italy). The results showed that the positive effects provided by evocative installations were similar to those provided by traditional installations. Furthermore, the effects on the restoration increased as the installations became larger and included enveloping shapes. Furthermore, we found that the amount of evocative water installations’ material was responsible for changes in restoration. In contrast, the Chinese groups were less influenced by these installations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Eppenberger ◽  
Maximilian Alexander Richter

Abstract Background This paper provides insight into the opportunity offered by shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) to improve urban populations’ spatial equity in accessibility. It provides a concrete implementation model for SAVs set to improve equity in accessibility and highlights the need of regulation in order for SAVs to help overcome identified spatial mismatches. Methodology Through the formulation of linear regression models, the relationship between land-use and transportation accessibility (by car and public transport) and socio-economic well-being indicators is tested on district-level in four European cities: Paris, Berlin, London and Vienna. Accessibility data is used to analyse access to points of interest within given timespans by both car and public transport. To measure equity in socio-economic well-being, three district-level proxies are introduced: yearly income, unemployment rate and educational attainment. Results In the cities of Paris, London and Vienna, as well as partially in Berlin, positive effects of educational attainment on accessibility are evidenced. Further, positive effects on accessibility by yearly income are found in Paris and London. Additionally, negative effects of an increased unemployment rate on accessibility are observed in Paris and Vienna. Through the comparison between accessibility by car and public transportation in the districts of the four cities, the potential for SAVs is evidenced. Lastly, on the basis of the findings a ‘SAV identification matrix’ is created, visualizing the underserved districts in each of the four cities and the need of equity enhancing policy for the introduction of SAVs is emphasized.


2021 ◽  
pp. 135910532199970
Author(s):  
Joanne A Rathbone ◽  
Tegan Cruwys ◽  
Jolanda Jetten

This project investigated how alternative non-stigmatising public health messages influence people’s health behaviours and well-being, relative to traditional stigmatising weight-loss messages. We conducted three experimental studies (total N = 1281) that compared traditional weight-loss messages to weight-neutral messages (Study 1), weight-inclusive messages (Study 2) and size acceptance messages (Study 3). Results revealed that public health messages have differential effects on health behaviours and well-being, depending on the audience’s BMI or perceived weight. However, campaigns that challenge weight stigma and promote body positivity have positive effects on some psychological indicators of health and well-being for people of all body sizes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingsheng Liu ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
Jiaming Zhang ◽  
Xiaoming Wang ◽  
Yuan Chang ◽  
...  

AbstractAchieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a long-term task, which puts forward high requirements on the sustainability of related policies and actions. Using the text analysis method, we analyze the China National Sustainable Communities (CNSCs) policy implemented over 30 years and its effects on achieving SDGs. We find that the national government needs to understand the scope of sustainable development more comprehensively, the sustained actions can produce positive effects under the right goals. The SDGs selection of local governments is affected by local development levels and resource conditions, regions with better economic foundations tend to focus on SDGs on human well-being, regions with weaker foundations show priority to basic SDGs on the economic development, infrastructures and industrialization.


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