‘Public health development in the Baltic countries (1992-2005): from problems to policy’

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘Public health development in the Baltic countries (1992-2005): from problems to policy’

AU - O'Connor, Julia S

AU - Bankauskaite, Vaida

N1 - Reference text: 1 O’Connor JS. Convergence in European welfare state analysis: convergence of what? In: Clasen J, Siegel NA, editors. Investigating welfare state change the ‘dependent variable problem’ in comparative analysis. UK: Edward Elgar, 2007, 217–43. 2 Bankauskaite V, O’Connor JS. Health policy in the Baltic countries since the beginning of the 1990s. Health Policy 2008; doi:10.1016/ j.healthpol.2007.10.017 3 Jesse M, Habicht J, Aaviksoo A, et al. Health care systems in transition: Estonia. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, 2004. Available from: http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E85516.pdf (Accessed 20 April 2008). Public health development in the Baltic countries 591 4 Tragakes E, Brigis G, Karaskevica J, et al. Latvia: Health system review. Health Systems in Transition 2008;10:1–253. 5 Grabauskas V, Klumbiene J, Petkeviciene J, et al. Health Behaviour among Lithuanian Adult Population, 2006. Publications of the National Public Health Institute, B7/2007. ISBN 978-951-740-650-5. Available from: http://www.ktl.fi/portal/2920; http://www.ktl.fi/eteo/finbalt (Accessed 15 September 2008). 6 Pomerleau J, McKee M, Robertson A, et al. Physical inactivity in the Baltic countries. Prev Med 2000;31:665–72. 7 Pomerleau J, Pudule I, Grinberga D, et al. Patterns of body weight in the Baltic Republics. Public Health Nutr 2000;3:3–10. 8 Ministry of Health of the Republic Latvia: Public Health Strategy. November 2000. 9 Lithuanian Health Program. 1998. Approval of the Lithuanian Parliament, 2 July 1998, No. VIII-833, Vilnius. 10 Concerning the implementation of the State alcohol and tobacco control policy (in Lithuanian). Available from: www.lrinka.lt/uploads/files/dir21/ dir1/3_0.php (Accessed 28 January 2008). 11 Order 30/01/07 Nr. N-1 On the implementation of the State Program on alcohol prevention, Vilnius. Available from: http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter/ w5_show?p_r=698&p_d=63768&p_k=1 (Accessed 18 January 2008). 12 Hellman M. Alcohol-use harm and policy. A report from a Nordic-Baltic seminar. Riga 3–4 October 2005. Nordic Council for Alcohol and Drug Research. Available from: http://www.nad.fi/riga/English%20report% 20Riga.pdf (Accessed 10 March 2008). 13 Report on the HIV/AIDS situation in Lithuania. Available from: www. integration-projects.org (Accessed 17 August 2008). 14 HIV & AIDS in Estonia. 2004. Available from http://www.integrationprojects. org/keydocs/intg0104_final_report/1_1_Estonia_CR.pdf (Accessed 07 January 2008). 15 AIDS/HIV Latvia. Available from: http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2006/ 2006_country_progress_report_latvia_en.pdf (Accessed 15 April 2008). 16 Koppel A, Aaviksoo A. Evaluation of health prevention projects – Estonia. Health Policy Monitor, October 2007. Available from: http://www.hpm.org/ survey/ee/a10/1. 17 Polluste K, Mannik G, Axelsson R. Public health reforms in Estonia: impact on the health of the population. Br Med J 2005;331:210–13. 18 Koupil I, Rahu K, Rahu M, et al. Major improvements, but persisting inequalities in infant survival in Estonia 1992–2002. Eur J Public Health 2006;17:8–16. 19 State Audit Report on Public Health Care Promotion. 31/05/06 No. VA- 2010-6-7. Available from: http://www.vkontrole.lt/veikla_ataskaita.php?1350 (Accessed 18 April 2008). 20 Korzuniene J, Aleknavicius D. 2006. Republic of Lithuania State Control. State Audit Report. Evaluation of the program ‘Health system development’ of the Ministry of Health. Available from: http://www.vkontrole.lt/audito_ ataskaitu_paieska1.php (Accessed 20 April 2008). 21 Brauna A. Controlling the income of individuals in Latvia. 2005. Available from: www.policy.lv 22 Transparency international. The global coalition against corruption. Available from: www.transparency.org (Accessed 15 April 2008). 23 World Health Organization European Region. European Health For All Database (HFA-DB). Available from: http://www.euro.who.int/hfadb (Accessed 18 April 2008). 24 Cockcroft A, Andersson N, Paredes- Solis S, et al. An inter-country comparison of unofficial payments: results of a health sector social audit in the Baltic states. BMC Health Serv Res 2008;8:15. Received 27 May 2008, accepted 20 September 2008 592 European Journal of Public Health

PY - 2008/10

Y1 - 2008/10

N2 - Background: The focus of the article is on organizational reform measures in public health in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from 1992 to 2005 and the associated changes in population health. Methods: The study draws on published reports and analyses official statistics over time and cross-nationally. Changes in population health are measured by indicators of population health status and indicators of primary prevention or avoidable mortality, which reflect performance of national health policy. Results: Our study shows some similarities and some important differences in terms of public health development inthe Baltic countries since beginning of the 1990s. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of political stability and support in achieving public health improvements and the pervasive influence of socio-demographic factors on several key health indicators in Baltic countries. It points to the need to introduce evidence-based public health interventions, enhance social trust, address corruption and tackle poverty.

AB - Background: The focus of the article is on organizational reform measures in public health in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from 1992 to 2005 and the associated changes in population health. Methods: The study draws on published reports and analyses official statistics over time and cross-nationally. Changes in population health are measured by indicators of population health status and indicators of primary prevention or avoidable mortality, which reflect performance of national health policy. Results: Our study shows some similarities and some important differences in terms of public health development inthe Baltic countries since beginning of the 1990s. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of political stability and support in achieving public health improvements and the pervasive influence of socio-demographic factors on several key health indicators in Baltic countries. It points to the need to introduce evidence-based public health interventions, enhance social trust, address corruption and tackle poverty.

KW - public health

KW - Estonia

KW - Latvia

KW - Lithuania

KW - reform

KW - convergence

U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckn097

DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckn097

M3 - Article

VL - 18

SP - 586

EP - 592

JO - European Journal of Public Health

T2 - European Journal of Public Health

JF - European Journal of Public Health

SN - 1101-1262

IS - 6

ER -