Health Policies in Romania to Reduce the Mortality Caused by Cardiovascular Diseases

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• Cardiology

Background:

• Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) represent the leading cause of mortality in Romania.
• Understanding the determinants of CVD mortality is crucial for effective public health policy.
• Existing research may not fully capture the complex interplay between healthcare resources and CVD outcomes in Romania.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the relationship between cardiovascular disease mortality and key healthcare system factors in Romania.
• To investigate the impact of health expenditures per capita, public hospital availability, and the number of cardiologists on CVD-related deaths.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for public health policies aimed at reducing CVD mortality.

Main Methods:

• Utilized panel data models analyzing Romanian macro-regions from 1995-2016.
• Employed Bayesian linear models for national-level data analysis.
• Correlated mortality data with health expenditures, hospital numbers, and cardiologist counts.

Main Results:

• Panel data analysis indicated that a higher number of cardiologists is associated with reduced CVD mortality.
• Bayesian analysis revealed that increased per capita health expenditures correlate with a lower incidence of CVD deaths.
• The study highlights the importance of both resource allocation and healthcare professional availability.

Conclusions:

• Public health policies should advocate for increased per capita healthcare spending to mitigate CVD mortality.
• Investment in expanding the number of public hospitals and cardiology specialists is essential.
• Strategies to reduce the emigration of medical specialists are critical for improving cardiovascular care.