This study examines the convergence and catchup effects of the economic and social (well-being) performance of the NUTS 2 regions of Central and Eastern Europe between 2004 and 2014. The separate management of these two development dimensions is justified by the fact that they have no clear relationship. In the study, the theory of closed economies is abandoned and, thus, the performed regression analyses include spatial interactions and spillover effects. As the applied regressions provide only an average picture about the studied phenomenon, the authors also present the individual paths for each region. The results confirm the theory of absolute convergence for both the economic and social convergence. Thus, regardless of any other explanatory factor, less developed regions tend to converge with the more developed ones. The traditional examinations and those that assess spatiality aspects point to a faster annual convergence rate of well-being, so the two phenomena have different dynamics. This is partly supported by the individual regional catch-up paths. Furthermore, it clearly complements the mathematicalstatistical results. The novel results highlight the catching up of the 'local dimension' that puts the regions along the two dimensions as 'catch-up not complete' and 'catch-up complete'. The authors' results suggest a non-parallel way of achieving social and economic cohesion.

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Understanding territorial processes has come to the focus of relevant enquiries in the past few decades but it is especially important in the case of less favoured areas. In this particular research project presented here, the major factors of endogenous development and their presence in the regions of Visegrad countries -Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary -have been investigated. The theory of endogenous development, namely the utilisation of the given resources, has become the focus of many empirical analyses and it means the framework of quantitative analysis. The main aim of the paper is the examination and explanation of the effects of each capital on development. A model is proposed that explains development and includes latent variables symbolising the forms of capital. The model then is further examined using a Partial Least Squares (PLS) path analysis. This shows and helps to understand the connections between the various forms of capital, although the model is only valid in a Visegrad context. The first part of the paper reviews the academic literature of development theories, and it outlines how the concept has been understood and developed in the last few decades. In the next chapter of the paper, the concept is examined from a narrower perspective and the focus is on the theory of endogenous development, which is assumed to be a qualitative change. Despite the fact that in this case it is very difficult to carry out quantitative analyses, they have an obvious relevance in regional research. Besides defining endogenous development, several models and capitals are compared in the paper. The compa rison shows the most important elements by the usage of which the development of the Visegrad regions becomes measurable. The methodology of the empirical test can be found in the next chapter, and it means that research questions were tried to be answered based on the latest statistical indicators, i.e., the Eurostat database and the national databases of the Visegrad countries. In the abovementioned countries 115 NUTS3 regions can be found, hence this array of territories serves as the framework for the quantitative analysis. The territorial units are compared to multivariate analysis, so the accumulation of various forms of capitals has been analysed by PLS path analysis. With the help of the method, a simultaneous factor and regression analysis is run, enabling the analysis of the direct and indirect effects among the latent variables. It helps to highlight the effects of capitals on each of these.

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The availability of health care services is an important issue, however, improving availability of health care services does not necessarily mean better accessibility for everybody. The main aim of this study is to find out how better availability in the care of acute myocardial infarction vary with accessibility of patients’ geographical location within Hungary. We applied statistical analysis and interview techniques to unfold the role of spatiality in the conditions of access to health care. Results of statistical analysis indicate significant health inequalities in Hungary. Decreasing national mortality rates of acute myocardial infarction, has been coupled by increasing spatial inequalities within the country especially at micro-regional level. According to in-depth interviews with local health care stakeholders we defined factors that support access to health care as well as important barriers. The supporting factors are related to the improvement of availability (i.e. infrastructural developments), while geographical distance, lack of material and human resources, or low level of health literacy proved to be the most relevant barriers. Main conclusion is that barriers to accessibility and availability are not only spatial but are also based on individual stages of acute myocardial infarction care. The development of cardiac catheter centres in Hungary has improved the short-term chances of infarction survival, but long-term survival chances have worsened in recent years due to deficiencies in rehabilitation care as well as low level of health literacy.