Trends of mortality in Greece 1980-2007: a focus on avoidable mortality

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Avoidable mortality (AM) encompasses deaths preventable with timely and effective healthcare.
• Analysis of AM rates in Greece from 1980-2007 investigates healthcare's role in mortality decline and identifies system shortcomings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the contribution of the Greek healthcare system to the reduction of mortality rates.
• To identify potential deficiencies within the Greek healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mortality data from the National Statistic Service.
• Classified avoidable deaths into 'treatable' (medical care) and 'preventable' (health policy) categories.
• Calculated age-standardized mortality rates using the European Community standard population, with separate analysis for Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD).

Main Results:

• A consistent decrease in AM as a percentage of all-cause mortality (27% to 22.9%).
• Overall AM rate fell by 30.5% (217.4 to 151.1 per 100,000 population).
• Treatable mortality declined significantly by 48.1%, contributing most to AM reduction; preventable mortality decreased by 11%; IHD mortality fell by 13.1%.

Conclusions:

• Greek AM trends align with other European countries, excelling in treatable mortality.
• While other factors influence mortality, the healthcare system appears to be a significant determinant of health improvements.
• Further research is recommended to evaluate care quality, structure, and adequacy within the Greek healthcare system.