The World Health Organization's strategy of health for all 2000 (HFA 2000) has, among other things, attempted to reduce the actual differences in health status between and within countries. In order ...to evaluate the progress made towards the attainment of the HFA strategy, each country reports their status of achievement to the World Health Organization every 3 years. This study investigates the extensiveness and the methodology of interview surveys which measure health as a source of information for HFA in the European Region. This study focuses on the comparability of data which derive from the interview survey. The study shows that the different questions (related to the same indicator) in interview surveys mostly lead to incomparable information because there is a lack of uniformity both in phrasing and in the standards and methods used.
Despite the rising health care costs of back pain, the evaluation of economic aspects of back pain interventions has received little attention. This paper reviews 23 economic evaluation studies of ...back pain interventions looking at costs, consequences, and other methodological aspects. This paper gives a detailed summary of the economic evaluation data given by these studies and provides insight into the quality of economic evaluation in the field of back pain. Seven of the studies dealt with injury-prevention programs, six with post-incidence management programs, and ten studies with back injury and pain remedies. The injury prevention programs (except for back pain programs) and post-incidence management programs appear to produce cost savings due to reduced absenteeism. This paper shows that because of differences in the measurement of costs and outcomes and other methodological limitations, it is impossible to draw conclusions in favor of any one type of program.
The reform of long-term care (LTC) in the Netherlands is a much debated topic. The reform essentially comes down to a shift in healthcare claims and a cutback. As of 1 January 2015, the Long-Term ...Care Act (WLZ) shall replace the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ). In doing so, parts of the AWBZ will shift to the Health Care Insurance Act (ZVW) and the renewed Social Support Act (WMO 2015), which will be carried out by municipalities. This is a significant change: whereas the AWBZ provides a right to care, the WMO commands delivery of tailor-made support. Care that falls under the WMO is only awarded if the capacity of persons seeking care, among others their financial resources and social network, are insufficient. Higher contributions than in the AWBZ may also be requested. These developments influence the experienced level of solidarity.
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