Karanikolos Marina, Kentikelenis Alexander
European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Department of Sociology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Int J Equity Health. 2016 May 31;15:83. doi: 10.1186/s12939-016-0374-0.
Since the beginning of economic crisis, Greece has been experiencing unprecedented levels of unemployment and profound cuts to public budgets. Health and welfare sectors were subject to severe austerity measures, which have endangered provision of as well as access to services, potentially widening health inequality gap. European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data show that the proportion of individuals on low incomes reporting unmet medical need due to cost doubled from 7 % in 2008 to 13.9 % in 2013, while the relative gap in access to care between the richest and poorest population groups increased almost ten-fold. In addition, austerity cuts have affected other vulnerable groups, such as undocumented migrants and injecting drug users. Steps have been taken in attempt to mitigate the impact of the austerity, however addressing the growing health inequality gap will require persistent effort of the country's leadership for years to come.
自经济危机爆发以来,希腊一直面临着前所未有的高失业率,公共预算也被大幅削减。卫生和福利部门受到了严厉的紧缩措施影响,这危及了服务的提供和获取,有可能扩大健康不平等差距。欧盟收入和生活条件统计数据显示,因费用问题报告有未满足医疗需求的低收入个人比例从2008年的7%翻倍至2013年的13.9%,而最富有和最贫穷人群在获得医疗服务方面的相对差距增加了近十倍。此外,紧缩削减措施还影响了其他弱势群体,如无证移民和注射吸毒者。该国已采取措施试图减轻紧缩政策的影响,然而,要解决日益扩大的健康不平等差距,该国领导层在未来数年仍需持续努力。