No abstract

This study showed the GFI to be a feasible and valid instrument to assess frailty in independent-living old Romanians. Compared with the Dutch old, the prevalence of frailty in independently living old Romanians is high. Further research is needed to determine the appropriate cut-off points in the GFI scores in different care systems.

A comparison with international data shows various indicators of health of older Romanian adults to be relatively worse. The three identified components of health offer opportunities for an integrated approach to deal with the health care needs of older citizens.

Objectives Ageing of societies causes serious political concerns on well-being of old citizens and care for the (frail) old. These concerns increased with the economic crisis of 2008. In European countries policy measures were taken to deal with the consequences of this crisis. This study explores the possible effects of these measures on life satisfaction of older citizens. Methods Life satisfaction was assessed through international surveys in 2007 and 2013 and changes in societal conditions, using eight indicators on demography, welfare, and health, are assessed in 31 European countries in 2006 and in 2014. Data are standardised and based on official, national surveys and statistics. Results The former found that U-shape relationship between age and life satisfaction disappeared after the crisis. Negative changes in social protection and care arrangements, taken after the economic crisis, are related to low life satisfaction in old citizens. Conclusions Various societal conditions deteriorated in 2014 as compared to 2006. Policy measures, taken due to the 2008 economic crisis, have changed societal conditions and affected life satisfaction of older citizens negatively. In countries with a rudimentary structure of health and welfare provisions old citizens could not cope with the imposed policy measures.

Study background: Considering that preventable mortality is still a significant problem in European countries and large differences exists between these countries, this study first analyses which expenditures, as percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are related to preventable mortality. Secondly, quantitative and qualitative healthcare indicators as well as life style indicators are introduced to investigate their contribution to explain preventable mortality. Methods:The study is cross-sectional, using data of international databases (like Eurostat and OECD) of 31 European countries. The years the data were collected vary between 2009 and 2014. The following indicators are used to explain preventable mortality: percentage of GDP expenditures on healthcare, education, and social protection, quantitative and qualitative healthcare indicators (% vaccinated children, % women screened on cervical cancer and breast cancer, the overall volume of prescribed antibiotics, standardised infant mortality, Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) mortality rate after hospital admission, and % of persons aged 16 and over reporting unmet needs for medical care), and life style indicators (% low reading literacy, % smokers, % of adults with insufficient physical activity, % obese persons, alcohol consumption, and exposure to air pollution). Significant indicators are analysed by forward regression.Results: Expenditure on social protection is strongest related to preventable mortality. Significant correlations between quantitative and qualitative health care indicators disappear when social protection expenditure is introduced as explaining variable. Besides social protection expenditure, alcohol consumption and physical activity contribute to preventable mortality. Conclusion:Strengthening the comprehensiveness and expenditures of social protection policy is essential to reduce preventable mortality. Also, this study provides concrete examples for focused action.