100 research outputs found
Factors Influencing Motivation and Work Engagement of Healthcare Professionals
No full textBackground: Low level of health professionals’ work motivation is a critical challenge for coun-tries’ health care system. A survey of ministries of health in many countries showed that low motivation was seen as the second most important health workforce problem after staff shortages. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine in detail the factors which can affect motivation and work engagement, to assess the motivation levels of personnel working in public hospitals and to identify any differences between the various categories of healthcare professionals employed at the 1st Regional Health Authority of Attica. Methods: Frederick Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory was used as the theoretical framework. Twelve phrases were used that correspond to intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors, namely achieve-ment, recognition, nature of work, responsibil-ity, advancement, growth, organizational policies, supervision, interpersonal relationships, working conditions, salary and job security. Phrases 1-6 cov-ered the internal motivators and 7-12 correspond to the external. Additional questions were added covering the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents. Results: The response rate was 81.95% and 3,278 questionnaires were collected. Findings suggest that extrinsic motivation factors have slightly higher mean scores (MS=8.30) than intrinsic motivation factors (7.81). The role of factors like salary (9.31), organizational policies (8.91), growth (8.89) and job security (8.86) was significant. However, every category of hospital staff is affected in a different way and degree by each factor. In periods of crisis, the need of extrinsic factors of motivation increased. Conclusions: Providing a motivating environment for employees becomes more fundamental in the healthcare system. Motivation of healthcare employees was affected by factors related to supervision, financial benefits, job training and growth. Efforts should be made to provide such benefits to health employees as appropriate especially, to those who did not get any such benefits. Officially recognizing best performance is suggested. © 2022 Dimitris Karaferis, Vassilis Aletras, Maria Raikou, Dimitris Niakas
The Effects of Economic Crisis on the Demand and Supply of the Dental Services in Greece
No full textObjectives: This paper attempts to explore the impact of the economic crisis on the supply and demand of dental care services by listing the changes in costs for dental care as well as by the use of a questionnaire administered to dentists. Materials and Methods: The Health Accounts System, the Household Budget Surveys of the Greek Statistical Authority, and a questionnaire distributed to dentists working as self-employed were used as analysis tools. The survey involved a total of 361 dentists from all the regions of the country. Results: During the period of the economic crisis, the household expenses for dental care decreased by 57% according to the Health Accounts System and by 59.38% according to the Household Budget Surveys. Regarding public expenditures, the direct government expenses decreased (excluding social insurance) by 57.55% and social insurance by 91.04%. On the demand side, the majority of respondents indicate a reduction in quantity and prices of dental procedures. An increase is noted in the number of extractions and changes are not reflected in the number of fillings and surgical extractions. For root canal treatments, the percentage of dentists stating decrease in the number is almost equal to the percentage indicating increase. On the supply side, respondents notice an increase in professional costs due to an increase taxes and materials. Conclusions: Dental expenditures and private income for dentists collapsed during the Greek economic crisis, and demand for dental services remained stable only for emergency cases and pain management
Life of Greeks and Albanian Immigrants with the Generic EQ-5D Questionnaire
No full textBackground. Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been related by previous studies to low self-perceived HRQoL. Health is a major determinant of the society's welfare, and few studies have determined the relevant elements that contribute to health and quality of life in Greece. Aim. The aim of the study was to evaluate and test for differences in HRQoL of Greek and Albanian immigrant population according to ethnicity and their demographic and SES characteristics. Methods. The study was conducted in a sample of 660 age-matched and gender-matched Greeks and Albanian immigrants. Moderate or severe decrease in HRQoL was assessed with the generic tool EQ-5D. Differences were statistically analyzed by t-test and ANOVA. Also, logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted for the dependent variables of the EQ-5D dimensions and VAS scores, respectively. Results. The Albanian immigrants reported better self-perceived health than their Greek counterparts. Health problems increase moderately with age and lower SES and are slightly higher for women than for men. Urbanity and superior education in both Greeks and Albaniansare associated with worse HRQoL. Conclusion. There are some structural and compositional differences in the self-perceived quality of life between the two ethnicities, as estimated by EQ-5D. The combined information presentsto public health providers the relevant data to assess health policies according to health needs
Health services utilization and its determinants in the context of recession: evidence from Greece.
No full textBACKGROUND: In 2009, Greece entered a prolonged economic recession and adopted austerity reforms, which have profoundly affected many aspects of health sector, including health services use. The objective of this study was to investigate healthcare utilization in the Greek population in the context of austerity and its determinants. METHODS: Two National Health Surveys of the population aged 15 and over, conducted in 2009 and 2014-before and after the adoption of austerity measures-, were used to analyse possible changes in healthcare utilization and its determinants applying chi-square tests, Mann-Whitney U-tests and generalized linear models. RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2014, the share of those who had visited a specialist decreased, whereas that of those who had visited a general practitioner or had been hospitalized did not change significantly. The number of outpatient consultations decreased and the number of nights spent in hospital did not change significantly. The strongest predictors were self-rated health, presence of chronic diseases and experiencing pain. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the procyclical or counter-cyclical nature of healthcare utilization and the association between utilization and its determinants in different settings is an important priority in order to improve access and promote health equity
The effects of economic crisis on the demand and supply of the dental services in Greece
No full textAn estimate of lifelong costs and QALYs in renal replacement therapy based on patients' life expectancy
No full textObjectives To estimate lifelong costs and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) of hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD) and renal transplantation (Tx) in Greece, based on individual patient life expectancy.Methods A nationally representative patient sample on each modality, HD: NÂ =Â 642, PD: NÂ =Â 65 and Tx: NÂ =Â 167, was self-administered the SF-36 Health Survey, from which the preference-based SF-6D utility index was derived. Lifelong QALYs were estimated from literature-based expected remaining life years according to age, gender and modality. Cost analyses were performed from the perspective of the health system. Costs and QALYs were discounted at 5% and sensitivity analyses were performed.Results Estimated lifelong QALYs were 4.37 (HD), 3.94 (PD) and 16.11 (Tx) (PÂ
Overcoming inherent problems of preference-based techniques for measuring health benefits: An empirical study in the context of kidney transplantation
No full textAbstract Background Economic valuations of health care programs often require using patients as subjects, implying that research methodology should conform to the surrounding social, cultural and ethical context. The significance of patients' opinions in health care decisions has been well defined but in Greece, and perhaps elsewhere, clinicians remain skeptical. The purpose of this study was to investigate, for the first time in Greece, the feasibility of measuring preference-based health-state utilities and willingness to pay and to determine the context-based adaptations required to overcome inherent elicitation problems. Methods A survey including a time trade-off (TTO), a standard gamble (SG), and two willingness-to-pay (WTP) questions was self-administered to a homogenous group of 606 end stage renal disease patients in 24 dialysis facilities throughout Greece and the overall response rate was 78.5%. Typical elicitation methods were adapted to overcome methodological problems such as subjective life expectancy and question framing. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between utilities and WTP and parametric tests (independent samples t-test and ANOVA) examined score differences as a result of demographic and clinical factors. Results Mean health-state utilities were 72.56 (TTO) and 91.06 (SG) and these were statistically significantly different (P P P P P P P Conclusion This study demonstrated, to a fair extent, that adapting research methods to context-based particularities does not necessarily compromise results and should be considered in situations where standard methods cannot be applied. On the other hand, it is emphasized that the results from this study are preliminary and should be interpreted cautiously until further research demonstrates the practicality, reliability and validity of alternative measurement approaches.</p
Assessment of health care needs and utilization in a mixed public-private system: the case of the Athens area
No full textAbstract Background Given the public-private mix of the Greek health system, the purpose of this study was to assess whether variations in the utilisation of health services, both primary and inpatient care, were associated with underlying health care needs and/or various socio-economic factors. Methods Data was obtained from a representative sample (N = 1426) residing in the broader Athens area (response rate 70.6%). Perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as measured by the physical and mental summary component scores of the SF-36 Health Survey, was used as a proxy of health care need. Health care utilization was measured by a) last-month visits to public sector physicians, b) last-month visits to private sector physicians, c) last-year visits to hospital emergency departments and d) last-year hospital admissions. Statistical analysis involved the implementation of logistic regression models. Results Health care need was the factor most strongly associated with all measures of health care utilization, except for visits to public physicians. Women, elderly, less wealthy and individuals of lower physical health status visited physicians contracted to their insurance fund (public sector). Women, well educated and those once again of lower physical health status were more likely to visit private providers. Visits to hospital emergency departments and hospital admissions were related to need and no socio-economic factor was related to the use of those types of care. Conclusion This study has demonstrated a positive relationship between health care need and utilisation of health services within a mixed public-private health care system. Concurrently, interesting differences are evident in the utilization of various types of services. The results have potential implications in health policy-making and particularly in the proper allocation of scarce health resources.</p
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