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Changes in the health status of the population of Central and Eastern European countries between 1990 and 2010

The European Journal of Health Economics volume 15, pages 137–141 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyse change in the health status of the population in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since 1990, compared with the ‘old’ EU-15 member states of the European Union (EU).

Methods

We analysed data from the Health for All Database and the Global Burden of Disease report of the World Health Organization (WHO). Life expectancy at birth and disability-adjusted life years were analysed for 1990–2010. Age-standardised death rates (ASDR) and potential years of life lost (PYLL) were assessed for selected inflammatory diseases.

Results

Life expectancy at birth for male individuals improved in CEE by 4.8 years and in the EU-15 by 5.4 years. During the same period, life expectancy at birth for female individuals improved in CEE by 4.0 years and in the EU-15 by 4.2 years. The difference in life expectancy at birth between male and female individuals in the EU-15 decreased by 1.2 years and in CEE by 0.8 years. Comparisons of ASDR and PYLL among the EU-15 and CEE countries were difficult because of the potentially low validity of the available data.

Conclusions

The health status of the CEE population has improved since 1990. However, only a few countries have closed the gap with the EU-15 countries. Inflammatory conditions might represent a significant disease burden in CEE countries; however, a thorough analysis and comparison to the EU-15 is difficult because of a shortage of good-quality data.

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Affiliations

  1. Institute for Health Insurance, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Mária u. 5–7, Pécs, 7621, Hungary

    Imre Boncz, Réka Vajda, István Ágoston, Dóra Endrei & Andor Sebestyén

  2. South-Transdanubian Regional Office, National Health Insurance Fund Administration (OEP), Nagy Lajos király útja 3, Pécs, 7645, Hungary

    Andor Sebestyén

Authors
  1. Imre Boncz
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  2. Réka Vajda
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  3. István Ágoston
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  4. Dóra Endrei
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  5. Andor Sebestyén
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Correspondence to Imre Boncz.

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Boncz, I., Vajda, R., Ágoston, I. et al. Changes in the health status of the population of Central and Eastern European countries between 1990 and 2010. Eur J Health Econ 15, 137–141 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-014-0602-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-014-0602-8

Keywords

  • Health status
  • Life expectancy
  • Central and Eastern European

JEL Classification

  • I18
  • I13
  • I11