Regional Outlook

2021 ◽  
pp. 71-74
Author(s):  
Jane Gingrich ◽  
Scott L. Greer
Keyword(s):  
Historical Development ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Health Financing ◽  
Political Issue ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Private Financing

The regional outlook for Ireland and the United Kingdom, both liberal market economies characterized by a limited role for the state, presents a brief comparative assessment of the historical development of their healthcare systems, health politics, and selected health-related indicators. The two are quite different in terms of health financing, with the UK’s health system relying on substantially larger tax expenditures and less private financing. Reported unmet need in the UK is therefore largely attributed to waiting times, whereas in Ireland it is mainly due to cost. Notably, reported unmet need is higher in both than it was in 2005. Since at least 2002, healthcare has tended to be a salient political issue in both Ireland and the UK.

Regional Outlook

2021 ◽  
pp. 159-163
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Immergut ◽  
Maria Oskarson
Keyword(s):  
Waiting Times ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Health Financing ◽  
Political Debate ◽  
Average Life Expectancy ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Main Barrier

The Nordic countries regional outlook presents a comparative assessment of the historical development of the healthcare system, health politics, and selected health-related indicators for Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. In terms of health financing, the health systems of all five countries are largely tax-financed, though private payments still cover 13 to 20 percent of health expenditures. Health outcomes are excellent throughout the region, with high average life expectancy and relatively low levels of health inequality. Unmet need is lower than in most other regions in Europe; Finland stands out for longer waiting times as the main barrier. Since at least 2002, healthcare has tended to be a highly salient issue in the Nordic region, where the balance between central control and local self-governance and the increasing role of private insurance and provision tend to be the focus of political debate.

Regional OutlookContinental Europe

2021 ◽  
pp. 475-478
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Immergut
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Health Financing ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Administrative Practices ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Key Issues

The Continental Europe regional outlook presents a comparative assessment of the historical development of the healthcare system, health politics, and selected health-related indicators for Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. In terms of health financing, these countries rely on the compulsory contributory insurance and corporatist administrative practices characteristic of Bismarckian health systems, to which the Netherlands and Switzerland have added mandated private insurance. Health outcomes are very positive, with high life expectancy, low infant mortality, and comparatively low levels of health inequality. Unmet need is the lowest in Europe, and satisfaction is among the highest. Since at least 2002, healthcare has tended to be a highly salient issue for Germany and the Netherlands, but not so for Belgium and Luxembourg, the two countries with the highest levels of public satisfaction with the health system. The key issues in Continental Europe have been cost containment, patient rights, and the introduction of long-term care, as well as some discussion of the role of private insurance and the efficiency of corporatist institutions.

Regional Outlook

2021 ◽  
pp. 397-400
Author(s):  
Mare Ainsaar ◽  
Ave Roots
Keyword(s):  
Unmet Need ◽  
Health Financing ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
The Political ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
Out Of Pocket Payments ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Baltic

The regional outlook for the Baltic countries presents a comparative assessment of the historical development of the healthcare system, health politics, and selected health-related indicators for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, each of which pursued a different path to establishing a new health system after independence in 1991. In terms of health financing, out-of-pocket payments are relatively high, especially in Latvia and Lithuania. But while, as might be expected, unmet need due to cost is quite high in Latvia, it is rather low in Lithuania. Though the political saliency of healthcare has been rather low in the Baltics, it appears to be moving up the political agenda. High health inequalities, low satisfaction with healthcare services, and access are among the problems that have persisted.

scholarly journals Comprehensive physiotherapy management in covid-19 – a narrative review

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 38030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deivendran Kalirathinam ◽  
Raj Guruchandran ◽  
Prabhakar Subramani
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Review ◽  
World Health ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Uk

The 2019 novel coronavirus officially named as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by the World Health Organization, has spread to more than 180 countries. The ongoing global pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, spread to the United Kingdom (UK) in January 2020. Transmission within the UK was confirmed in February, leading to an epidemic with a rapid increase in cases in March. As on April 25- 2020, there have been 148,377 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the UK and 20,319 people with confirmed infection have died. Survival of critically ill patients is frequently associated with significant functional impairment and reduced health-related quality of life. Early physiotherapy and community rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients has recently been identified as an essential therapeutic tool and has become a crucial evidence-based component in the management of these patients. This comprehensive narrative review aims to describe recent progress in the application of physiotherapy management in COVID 19 patients. Assessment and evidence- based treatment of these patients should include prevention, reduction of adverse consequences in immobilization, and long-term impairment sequelae. A variety of techniques and modalities of early physiotherapy in intensive care unit are suggested by clinical research. They should be applied according to the stage of the disease, comorbidities, and patient’s level of cooperation.

scholarly journals Inclusion of Public Health in the Pharm Curriculum in the United Kingdom: Content Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chijioke Agomo ◽  
Jane Portlock ◽  
James Ogunleye
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Pharmacy Curriculum

1) Public health remains a tiny portion of the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum and the material is integrated into other modules. The objective of this study is to describe the UK undergraduate pharmacy curriculum, including its public health content; 2) Methods: A qualitative method (content analysis of websites) was used to describe the UK undergraduate pharmacy curriculum and teaching and learning policy. This involved selecting relevant concepts and then quantifying their presence and the relationships between them. The NVivo software was used to carry out ‘group queries’ and visualisation of results; 3) Results: Public health remains an optional module in the curricula of many UK schools of pharmacy. Several public health-related topics are often integrated into other modules, but UK undergraduate pharmacy curricula are still dominated by traditional pharmacy modules; and 4) Conclusions: Most of the curricula analysed were dominated by traditional pharmacy modules designed to enhance students' knowledge and skills. The skill set of UK pharmacy students with respect to macro-level public health activities needs to be improved in order to enhance pharmacists’ contribution to public health.

Sweden

2021 ◽  
pp. 164-204
Author(s):  
Paula Blomqvist ◽  
Ulrika Winblad
Keyword(s):  
Historical Development ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Patient Choice ◽  
County Level ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Private Actors ◽  
Governing Institutions ◽  
Universal Health

This chapter provides an extended look at health politics and the tax-financed, universal health system in Sweden. It traces the historical development of the Swedish healthcare system, characterized by a shifting relationship between a powerful, interventionist state and self-governing county-level governing institutions. Starting in the late 1980s, despite broad political agreement about the need to adapt the system and make it more patient-centered, there has been debate over most health reforms, particularly over the role of markets and private actors, with legislative votes largely following the left–right political party divide. Nevertheless, reforms like the introduction of private actors, mostly publicly financed and regulated, the enhancement of patient choice, measures to reduce waiting times, and other changes in the formerly nearly all-public system have taken place without seriously undermining the health system’s fundamentally solidaristic character.

Crowdfunding for medical expenses in the United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
I Pifarré Coutrot ◽  
L Cornelsen ◽  
R Smith
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Universal Health

Abstract Background Medical crowdfunding is a rapidly growing phenomenon worldwide and a new means for patients to finance health related expenses. It raises many ethical concerns such as increasing inequities. In the UK, which operates a state-funded universal health care system, the phenomenon is unexpected and hasn't yet been studied. Our study aims at answering basic questions as who is using crowdfunding to fund health-related expenses, for what and why. Methods We have drawn the first 400 medical campaigns amongst 1,000 available on GoFundMe UK website. We used a content analysis method to extract data from narratives on age, sex, health condition and funds' purposes. Results Among the 400 campaigns, 1/2 requested funds for cancer care for both common and rare cancers, from which 1/3 disclosed a stage 4. A third of the sample sought funds to get treatment abroad, mostly in Germany and the US, for most part cancer therapies such as immunotherapy but also alternative therapies. A quarter of the sample sought support to alleviate financial burden associated with ill-health. Other purposes included getting private care in the UK (19%) and getting medical equipment (18%). Conclusions Our findings may put forward some gaps within the National Health Service (NHS) and social care such as issues to access therapies or equipment, lack of holistic care and inadequate welfare patient support. However, it does not explain fully the rise of crowdfunding that may also be a counterpart of patients' empowerment. For instance, patients can shift to the private sector, in the UK or abroad, when a treatment is not available within the NHS, such as high cost last-resort treatments for those with poor prognosis. We recommend policy makers to: use medical crowdfunding to inform policy,support patients to make empowered decisions,protect patients from commercial traps. Key messages Studying medical crowdfunding allows better understanding of patients’ perceived or actual unmet need for health and social care to inform policy development. This threat to equity should be addressed globally by providing patients with support to be empowered, with universal health coverage and by regulating better private facilities and health tourism.

scholarly journals Preparing for a COVID-19 vaccine: Identifying and psychologically profiling those who are vaccine hesitant or resistant in two general population samples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Murphy ◽  
Frédérique Vallières ◽  
Richard Bentall ◽  
Mark Shevlin ◽  
Orla McBride ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health Strategy ◽  
Broad Array ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Uk

Successful delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine may be undermined if populations are not receptive to inoculation as a primary public health strategy for combatting the virus. We gathered nationally representative data from the general adult populations of Ireland (N=1,041) and the United Kingdom (UK; N=2,025) to determine rates of hesitancy and resistance to a future COVID-19 vaccine and to identify and psychologically profile vaccine hesitant/resistant individuals in a way that might aid future public health messaging. Vaccine hesitancy was evident for 26% and 25% of Irish and UK samples, respectively, while vaccine resistance was evident for 9% and 6%, respectively. Vaccine hesitant/resistant respondents in Ireland and the UK differed in relation to a number of sociodemographic, political, and health-related variables, but were similar across a broad array of psychological constructs. In both populations, those who were resistant to a COVID-19 vaccine were less likely to obtain information about the pandemic from traditional and authoritative sources and had similar levels of mistrust in these sources. The current findings may help public health officials to more effectively target vaccine hesitant and resistant individuals, develop effective communication strategies that take into account their specific psychological dispositions, and leverage dissemination channels that can successfully reach these individuals.

”Little girl, where do you think you go with this method?”: shame and use of emergency contraception

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Cantarero Arevalo ◽  
E Merchant
Keyword(s):  
Young Women ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Emergency Contraception ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Unwanted Pregnancy ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Cultural Taboos ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background In England in 2018, 45% of pregnancies were unplanned at the time of conception. In 2017, there were 192,900 abortions carried out for women residing in England and Wales, with the highest rate of abortion being for women aged 20-24 (28.2 per 1000 resident women). Aim To understand social and cultural influences which affect ethnic minority young women's utilization and experience of emergency contraception in the United Kingdom. Methods Qualitative in-depth interviews following an interview topic guide were conducted with seven young women currently living in the UK, whose parents were born outside the UK. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and input into NVivo version 11.4.3. Transcriptions were coded to identify themes and these themes were then analyzed to identify commonalities and establish connections to understand perceptions and experiences of the participants. The themes coded were “Knowledge of emergency contraception”, “relationships” “concerns about obtaining and using EC”, “balancing risks” and “religion and culture”. Results Participants were often not open with their parents about sexual health related topics. Cultural taboos still persist towards sex before marriage which could translate into guilt and shame about using EC. When asked about concerns surrounding EC, participants mentioned concerns relating to obtaining EC, generally involving privacy embarrassment or shame. Stigma and concern about what others may think was a fairly frequent theme throughout the interviews, with participants being worried about what friends, family or service providers would think about them. Conclusions cultural awareness in healthcare reiterate the need for interventions which take into consideration sociocultural contexts. This is essential to ensure that young women have access to emergency contraception in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Key messages Despite availability of emergency contraception, young women still face the risk of going through an unwanted pregnancy becuase of embarrasment and shame. Cultural taboos towards sex before marriage still persists and this is translated into guilt and shame about using emergency contraception.

scholarly journals Psychological characteristics associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance in Ireland and the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Murphy ◽  
Frédérique Vallières ◽  
Richard P. Bentall ◽  
Mark Shevlin ◽  
Orla McBride ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Psychological Characteristics ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Geographical Proximity ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Broad Array ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Uk

AbstractIdentifying and understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy within distinct populations may aid future public health messaging. Using nationally representative data from the general adult populations of Ireland (N = 1041) and the United Kingdom (UK; N = 2025), we found that vaccine hesitancy/resistance was evident for 35% and 31% of these populations respectively. Vaccine hesitant/resistant respondents in Ireland and the UK differed on a number of sociodemographic and health-related variables but were similar across a broad array of psychological constructs. In both populations, those resistant to a COVID-19 vaccine were less likely to obtain information about the pandemic from traditional and authoritative sources and had similar levels of mistrust in these sources compared to vaccine accepting respondents. Given the geographical proximity and socio-economic similarity of the populations studied, it is not possible to generalize findings to other populations, however, the methodology employed here may be useful to those wishing to understand COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy elsewhere.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document