EUROPEAN HEALTH FORUM GASTEIN HEALTH INEQUALITITES AND SOCIAL POLICY THE CASE OF GREECE Yannis Tountas MD, MPH, PhD, Pania Karnaki MHS Center for Health Services Research Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine

GREECE Life expectancy: Women: 80.6, Men: 75.3 Population Mortality: per 100,000 (1998) Leading causes of mortality: circulatory system diseases, cancers, accidents, respiratory system diseases

Infant Mortality (1996) < 4 deaths per 1000 births deaths per 1000 births deaths per 1000 births deaths per 1000 births > 10 deaths per 1000 births

GREECE Inequalities in health are higher when: Living in geographical areas with low economic growth and development When belonging to poorer insurance funds According to occupational status: –Farmers, technicians, manual workers –Managers, scientists, –Office and services sector employees

GREECE Health inequalities are more frequently observed in: Economic migrants Rom gypsies Migrants of Greek origin that have re-patriated Unemployed

Inequalities in health in in Greece are generally due to: Unequally distributed health care services Lack of knowledge about health care services Low education Low economic-occupational status Living in a geographically deprives area GREECE

Social policies to reduce health inequalities National Health System - Decentralised health services - Improvement of rural health care Economic support to low income groups - monthly benefits to pensioners - monthly benefits to families with a low income - monthly benefits to mothers with 4 children or more

GREECE Social policies to reduce health inequalities: Housing - Economical support for the attainment of a first home Occupational therapy and special attention to people with special needs Unemployment - continuous training, employee incentives

GREECE There is a need for: Research which is not restricted to academic institutions Measurements and research on a national scale Free access to the NHS has to be enhanced by organizational measures that take into consideration the social factors which influence the use of health services