The impact of the economic crisis on mortality due to infectious diseases in Greece: An analysis of secondary data

Background: The economic crisis and the implementation of austere measures in Greece and other nations prompted inquiries regarding the potential impact of financial crises on the decreasing trajectory of infectious diseases. The primary aim of this study was to explore the trends of infectious diseases mortality rates in Greece from 2000 to 2019 as well as the association between infectious diseases mortality rates and socio-economic determinants. Method and Material: An analysis of secondary data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Eurostat, and Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) was conducted. Data on standardized death rates (SDR) (overall, by age and sex, and for administrative regions), total health spending (in US dollars per capita and as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP)), total GDP in euros (2022 value) per capita, unemployment, long-term unemployment, and very long-term unemployment were extracted. Pearson’s or Spearman’s who was used to evaluate the association between quantitative variables. Results: From 2011, the cut-off point between the “pre-austerity” and the “exposure to austerity” period, there had been an increasing trend in both overall SDRs and age- and`-specific SDRs of infectious diseases. The overall SDRs in Greece were statistically significantly and positively correlated with unemployment and long-term unemployment (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: It seems that the mortality of infectious diseases was affected by the economic crisis. The present findings show significance for public health, as they assist in pinpointing populations at heightened risk during crises and devising suitable measures to safeguard their well-being.