Death and Life in Greece

Greece has been embroiled in a fiscal crisis since 2008. Since that time Greece has been in the global economic spotlight. Greece became a petri dish for a macroeconomic experiment. The European Union, led by Germany, pushed economic austerity as a solution to the Greek debt crisis. The solution that was pushed on Greece was to curtail government spending at a time when Greeks needed the most assistance from their government. The result was mass unrest inside Greece, which was widely reported by most media outlets. However, the story about the effect on the health of Greeks was lost.

According to the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, an economic and  policy research forum comprised of 34 democracies including the Greece and the United States) health spending has dropped in Greece due to an overall reduction in government spending to help manage Greece's budgetary deficit. Furthermore, according to current data the reduction in health spending has occurred every year from 2009 to 2012. Greek health expenditure has decreased 25% when compared to levels in 2008.

An example of the reduction in health expenditure is decreased spending on pharmaceuticals. In general, from 2010 to 2012, OECD countries reduced spending on pharmaceuticals. However, Greek pharmaceutical spending was significantly decreased when compared to that of the OECD countries. For example, in 2012, OECD countries reduced pharmaceutical spending by 2.2% overall. During the same 2012 time period Greece reduced its pharmaceutical by approximately 18.4%.

Not surprisingly, people have found it increasingly difficult to afford healthcare. According to statistics from the European Union there has been a 47% increase in the number of people who feel that they have not been able to access necessary healthcare.

How as this reduction in government spending affected health outcomes? Research published in the Lancet (a renowned scientific journal) shows that infant mortality increased 43% from 2008 to 2010.    
Another major health indicator that causes alarm is the significant increase in the number of HIV infections. According to research from the University of Cambridge observed HIV infections increased among drug injection users from 15, in 2009, to 484 in 2012. This type of increase is unfortunate but, not surprising when considering that the reductions in government health spending can affect public health programs that provide sex education, condoms and, needle exchanges.

Physical health was no the only outcome affected. According to research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine depression among Greeks increased 2.5 times from 2008 to 2011. Another mental health related indicator that causes concern is the increased rate of suicide among Greeks. Between 2007 and 2011, the suicide rate increased by 45%.

A public health crisis usually follows a political or financial one. In the case of Greece, the European Union has the opportunity to ease human suffering. Rather than pushing simple austerity as the solution to the Greek debt crisis the European Union can tailor economic assistance to Greece. Assistance can be provided that both promotes Greek fiscal responsibility for the future but, reduces the negative effect of the debt crisis on the public health of Greece. The European Union will benefit from a stronger Greece. A healthier Greece is a stronger Greece.