Last update:
29-Sep-2000

Arch Hellen Med, 17(1), January-February 2000, 89-100

HEALTH ECONOMICS

Health indicators in Europe

Y. TOUNTAS,^1,2 D. TRIANTAFYLLOU,¹ S. FRISIRAS^2
1Center for Health Services Research, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology,
Medical School, University of Athens,
²Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Athens, Greece

This is a report of the health status and health trends in the European Region in the 1990’s. Demographically, there has been a decrease in birth rates and increase life expectancy at birth, trends which lead to negative population growth and population aging. However, the east-west gap in life expectancy has increased. The mortality rates from infectious diseases decreased, except for in the newly independent states of the former USSR, where there was a sudden increase. The re-emergence of cholera and diphtheria, and the explosion of cases of malaria, tuberculosis and hepatitis B, have become a major health issue in both eastern and western Europe. Diseases of the cardiovascular system are responsible for 49% of all deaths but mortality in eastern Europe is 2 to 4 times higher than in the rest of the region. Cancer mortality has decreased slightly in the European Region. Among people under 65 years, mortality from cancer is higher in eastern Europe, while among people aged 65 years and more it is higher in the western part of the Region. Given population aging, chronic diseases are becoming a major and increasing health problem throughout Europe. Mortality from external causes of injury and poisoning is 2 to 4 times higher in the eastern part of the Region, with the exception of that from road accidents. Nevertheless road accidents have a much higher case fatality rate in eastern Europe. The east-west mortality gap also applies to both maternal and infant mortality rates, which have decreased across Europe. Despite a decrease in smoking prevalence, no European country has met the target for the year 2000 of 80% nonsmokers. In the European Union, the average recorded per capita consumption of pure alcohol decreased by approximately 18% between 1980–1993, whereas in the eastern part of the Region alcohol consumption increased significantly. The use of psychoactive drugs increased among young people throughout the Region and a large percentage of AIDS cases are injecting drug users. The prevalence of obesity increased by 10–40% in most European countries in the 1990’s, and is higher in the eastern part of the Region.

Key words: Health, Health indicators, Morbidity, Mortality.