Suchergebnisse

Background: We studied the frequency of physician visits in the native and immigrant populations in Spain before and after implementation of a governmental measure to restrict the use of public healthcare services by undocumented immigrants beginning in 2012. Methods: Data were taken from the 2009 and 2014 European Health Surveys carried out in Spain. We investigated any physician consultation in the last 4 weeks before the interview, as well as visits to a family physician, public specialist physician and private specialist physician. We estimated the frequency of visits in 2009 and in 2014 in the native and immigrant populations and the difference in the frequency between the two populations, by calculating the percentage ratio estimated by binomial regression and adjusted for different confounders that are indicators of the need for assistance. Results: The percentage of persons who consulted any physician in 2009 and 2014 was 31.7 and 32.9% in the native population, and 25.6 and 30.1% in the immigrant population, respectively. In the immigrant population, the frequency of visits to the general practitioner and public specialist physician increased, whereas in the native population only public specialist physician visits increased. The frequency of private specialist visits remained stable in both populations. After adjusting for the indicators of need for healthcare, no significant differences between the immigrant and native populations were seen in the frequency of visits, except for private specialist consultations, which were less frequent among immigrants. Conclusion: The restriction of universal healthcare coverage in Spain did not reduce the frequency of physician visits between 2009 and 2014, as the frequency of these consultations was seen to increase in both the native and immigrant populations. ; This study was supported by a grant from the 'Plan Estatal de I + D', Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (no. CSO2017–83180-P). ; This study was supported by a grant from the "Plan Estatal de I + D, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (no. CSO2017–83180-P).

Objectives. We examined the evolution of income inequalities and health inequalities in Spain from the time of the country's entry into the European Union.

Background: We studied the frequency of physician visits in the native and immigrant populations in Spain before and after implementation of a governmental measure to restrict the use of public healthcare services by undocumented immigrants beginning in 2012. Methods: Data were taken from the 2009 and 2014 European Health Surveys carried out in Spain. We investigated any physician consultation in the last 4 weeks before the interview, as well as visits to a family physician, public specialist physician and private specialist physician. We estimated the frequency of visits in 2009 and in 2014 in the native and immigrant populations and the difference in the frequency between the two populations, by calculating the percentage ratio estimated by binomial regression and adjusted for different confounders that are indicators of the need for assistance. Results: The percentage of persons who consulted any physician in 2009 and 2014 was 31.7 and 32.9% in the native population, and 25.6 and 30.1% in the immigrant population, respectively. In the immigrant population, the frequency of visits to the general practitioner and public specialist physician increased, whereas in the native population only public specialist physician visits increased. The frequency of private specialist visits remained stable in both populations. After adjusting for the indicators of need for healthcare, no significant differences between the immigrant and native populations were seen in the frequency of visits, except for private specialist consultations, which were less frequent among immigrants. Conclusion: The restriction of universal healthcare coverage in Spain did not reduce the frequency of physician visits between 2009 and 2014, as the frequency of these consultations was seen to increase in both the native and immigrant populations. ; This study was supported by a grant from the "Plan Estatal de I + D, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (no. CSO2017–83180-P).

International audience ; Objective: Given the limited evidence available about the effects of clean indoor air laws on smoking behaviour in the general population, this study assessed the impact of national smoke-free workplace, bar and restaurant legislation, implemented on 1 January 2006, on smoking prevalence in Spain. Methods: Population-based trend analysis using estimates for 27 periods from the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2008 - three periods per year. To calculate the period percent change in smoking prevalence, the permutation test for joinpoint regression to detect significant changes was used. Results: In men and women aged 15-24 the prevalence of smoking declined between the first period in 2000 and the third period in 2008, whereas in women aged 45-64 it increased by 1.7% per period. A declining trend was detected up to the first period in 2006 in men and women aged 25-44 and in men aged 45-64, but between the beginning of 2006 and the end of 2008 the prevalence of smoking increased by 1.23%, 0.7% and 2% per period in men aged 25-44, in women aged 25-44, and in men aged 45-64, respectively. Conclusions: Three years after a national smoke-free law was implemented, the trend in smoking prevalence in some population groups was unchanged, but in others the declining trend of previous years was reversed. The similarity of these findings to those observed in other countries suggests that clean indoor air laws, although effective in reducing exposure to second-hand smoke, may not achieve the secondary objective of reducing the prevalence of smoking in the population.

The prevailing views on the role of public health professionals refer to professionals in the academic world, without taking into account the fact that many public health professionals are government employees. For example, the American Public Health Association states that public health professionals play an active role in communicating public health information to nonscientific audiences, such as the general population or the mass media.