Almost 2/3 of Greeks, that is 66.8%, do not visit a doctor for medical check ups or therapy because they cannot afford pay for the “free” Health services, Greek Statistics Authority ELSTAT announced on Wednesday.
The findings of ELSTAT’s announal survey on the health of citizens in Greece are “disappointing” even thought no “surprising” if ones takes in consideration the tragic dismantling of the public health sector.
Disappointing findings emerge from the National Statistics Authority’s annual survey on the health of citizens in Greece. What about doctor visits, dentist visits and chronic conditions.
The official survey shows the very serious problems in dealing with health issues experienced by citizens in our country, every time they need to use the services of the National Health System (NHS), whether are insured or not.
According to what the National Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) has recorded in the “Income and Living Conditions of Households” survey, 66.8% of citizens over the age of 16 who needed a medical examination or treatment did not receive it, as they did not have the financial means ability.
Economic reasons were reported by approximately 7 out of 10 (66.8%) persons, the ELSTAT notes.
This means that the role of public and “free” Health has practically been abolished, as most citizens, when they are in need, find it difficult to either visit a doctor, or do tests.
ELSTAT Survey results
66.8% of Greek citizens do not visit a doctor, because they cannot pay for the “free” Health
It is clarified that during the research period, 54% of the citizens needed a medical examination or treatment.
Of those 66.8%: 24.3% did not receive health service it every time they needed it. In addition to 68% of those who could not afford it, 2.5% waited for the health problem they faced to go away and 1.6% did not go to the doctor because of the long waiting list.
4 out of 5, that 77.2%, in need of dental care do not go to the dentist also for financial reasons.
The percentage of unmet needs for dental care last year was the highest recorded in the last five years.
21% of the poor population aged 16 and over did not receive a dental, oral or orthodontic examination or treatment whenever needed.
24.9% of the population with chronic diseases: One in four citizens (24.9%) in Greece states that they have a chronic health problem or condition.
About 3 out of 10 women (27%) and 1 out of 5 men (22.6%) state a chronic problem or chronic condition.
A health problem or condition that lasts or is expected to last more than 6 months, with or without medication, is considered chronic.
9% of the population aged 16 and over, for a period of six months or more, had limited, due to the health problem, some usual activities of the general population.
88.2% ask friends for moral and financial help.
56.8% of Greek citizens state that they are completely satisfied with their lives and 88.2% that they have someone to ask for moral, material and financial help.
The situation is completely different for 13.2%, who state that they are socially excluded and isolated, while 37.6% report that they experienced loneliness for some time.
The research data also revealed that:
1.1% of the citizens in our country are underweight, 44.1% have a normal weight, 42.7% are overweight and 12.2% are obese.
13.5% have difficulty seeing. 78.8% of them are aged 65 or over.
11% of the population aged 16 and over have difficulty hearing. 86.6% of them are aged 65 or over.
15.8% have difficulty moving (walking or going up/down stairs without the use of any aid or assistance from another). 74.4% of them are aged 65 or over.
11.6% have difficulty with memory-concentration (can’t remember anything or can’t concentrate on what they’re doing). 82.5% of them are aged 65 or over.
8% have difficulty with care (cannot take care of themselves, such as washing, dressing, etc.). 78.1% of them are aged 65 or over.
4.7% have difficulty communicating with other people (not understanding them or him/her, even though they speak the same language). 70.1% of them are aged 65 or over.
Burden of Health Care Cost
The survey investigated whether health costs burdened households financially, during the last 12 months.
The financial burden is considered separately for (a) provision of medical care (medical examinations, visits to doctors, hospitalizations, etc.), (b) provision of oral care (dental medical examinations or treatments, visits to dentists/orthodontists/orthodontists) and (c) purchase of drugs, herbs or vitamins (with or without a doctor’s prescription, whether prescribed or not, excluding birth control pills and any other hormones used only for contraception).
8.6% of the population aged 16 and over, are financially burdened by the costs of providing medical care.
10.6% of the population aged 16 and over, are financially burdened by the costs of providing oral care.
7.3% of the population aged 16 and over, are financially burdened by the costs of purchasing medicines or medicines.
The following Graph 23 presents the above results
Coverage The survey covers all private households throughout the Country irrespective of their size or socio-economic characteristics. The following are excluded from the survey:
o Institutional households of all types (boarding houses, elderly homes, hospitals, prisons, rehabilitation centers, camps, etc.). Households with more than five lodgers are considered institutional households.
Households with foreigners serving in diplomatic missions.
In 2022, the survey was conducted on a final sample of 10,202 households and on 22,317 embers of those households 19,481 of them aged 16 years and over. The average household size was calculated at 2.2 members per household.
Health Care system and Elections
It is no coincidence that according to the recent Kappa Research poll, the first thing that all social groups ask the new government to do is to improve Public Health.
The survey once again disproves the narrative of the government of the New Republic (ND) about the existence of public and free health care, at a time when workers are obliged to pay part of their salary for public insurance, notes news website news247.gr.
