Γενικά > Αποσπάσματα από τον έντυπο και ηλεκτρονικό τύπο

To σύστημα υγείας της Ελλάδας όπως το παρουσίασε το Lancet

<< < (2/2)

Denominator:
The Lancet, Volume 378, Issue 9801, Page 1459, 22 October 2011

doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61638-3Cite or Link Using DOI


Increased suicidality amid economic crisis in Greece


Marina Economou, Michael Madianos, Christos Theleritis, Lily E Peppou, Costas N Stefanis


Greece has entered a long period of economic crisis with adverse effects on various aspects of daily life, including the mental health of its citizens. Within this context, the Greek Ministry of Health reported that the annual suicide rate has increased by 40%; nonetheless, a systematic investigation to address the effect of the Greek economic crisis on suicidality is still lacking.

In an endeavour to fill this gap, the University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI) implemented a nationwide cross-sectional telephone survey, completed on May 1, 2011. The study adopted the same methods as an earlier one done during February—April, 2009, which explored the links between major depressive symptoms and socioeconomic variables. A representative sample of 2256 respondents was drawn from the national telephone-number databank, with telephone numbers belonging to businesses or services being excluded. Informed consent was obtained from all participants and the study was approved by the UMHRI Ethics Committee. Recent suicidality was assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and financial strain was measured by the Index of Personal Economic Distress (IPED), an eight-item scale with good psychometric properties.

Of the study findings, the most alarming one pertained to suicidal attempts. There was a 36% increase in the number who reported having attempted suicide in the month before the survey from 24 (1·1%) in 20092 to 34 (1·5%) in 2011. We also found that a significantly higher proportion of respondents with an IPED score of 15 or more (ie, high economic distress) had attempted suicide in the month before the survey than had respondents with an IPED lower than 15 (27 [10%] vs 7 [0·6%], p<0·001). Similarly, a significantly higher proportion of respondents with a high IPED had shown suicidal ideation in the month before the survey than had respondents with low IPED (58 [21·2%] vs 86 [7·4%], p<0·001). These results accord with those of Stuckler and colleagues, who reported a 17% increase in suicides in Greece, and might suggest that the ways in which economic distress is experienced by the population could be discerned in their increased suicidality.

Consequently, there is an urgent need for intensive screening, follow-up, and treatment of people with suicidal ideation, especially now that the recession has led to increases in both suicide attempts and suicides. Despite the turmoil, Greece is struggling to maintain a social welfare state; however, gaps in primary health care render the situation hard to address. Telephone helplines might contribute to alleviating the stress germane to financial hardship, prevent the proliferation of suicidal thoughts, and guide people to effective and timely treatment.

More at Δεν είναι ορατοί οι σύνδεσμοι (links). Εγγραφή ή Είσοδος

Denominator:
Alexander Kentikelenis, Marina Karanikolos, Aaron Reeves, Martin McKee, David Stuckler. Greece’s health crisis: from austerity to denialism. Lancet 2014; 383: 748–53

Summary

Greece’s economic crisis has deepened since it was bailed out by the international community in 2010. The country underwent the sixth consecutive year of economic contraction in 2013, with its economy shrinking by 20% between 2008 and 2012, and anaemic or no growth projected for 2014. Unemployment has more than tripled, from 7·7% in 2008 to 24·3% in 2012, and long-term unemployment reached 14·4%. We review the background to the crisis, assess how austerity measures have affected the health of the Greek population and their access to public health services, and examine the political response to the mounting evidence of a Greek public health tragedy.

Πλοήγηση

[0] Λίστα μηνυμάτων

[*] Προηγούμενη σελίδα