Hospital Costs of Foreign Non-Resident Patients: A Comparative Analysis in Catalonia, Spain.

Although patient mobility has increased over the world, in Europe there is a lack of empirical studies. The aim of the study was to compare foreign non-resident patients versus domestic patients for the particular Catalan case, focusing on patient characteristics, hospitalisation costs and differences in costs depending on the typology of the hospital they are treated. We used data from the 2012 Minimum Basic Data Set-Acute Care hospitals (CMBD-HA) in Catalonia. We matched two case-control groups: first, foreign non-resident patients versus domestic patients and, second, foreign non-resident patients treated by Regional Public Hospitals versus other type of hospitals. Hospitalisation costs were modelled using a GLM Gamma with a log-link. Our results show that foreign non-resident patients were significantly less costly than domestic patients (12% cheaper). Our findings also suggested differences in the characteristics of foreign non-resident patients using Regional Public Hospitals or other kinds of hospitals although we did not observe significant differences in the healthcare costs. Nevertheless, women, 15-24 and 35-44 years old patients and the days of stay were less costly in Regional Public Hospitals. In general, acute hospitalizations of foreign non-resident patients while they are on holiday cost substantially less than domestic patients. The typology of hospital is not found to be a relevant factor influencing costs.

Indicadores contextuales para evaluar los determinantes sociales de la salud y la crisis económica española / Contextual indicators to assess social determinants of health and the Spanish economic recession

Objetivo: Proporcionar indicadores para evaluar, en España y en sus comunidades autónomas, el impacto sobre la salud, sus determinantes sociales y las desigualdades en salud del contexto social y de la crisis económica más reciente. Métodos: Basándonos en el marco conceptual de los determinantes de las desigualdades sociales en salud en España, identificamos indicadores secuencialmente a partir de documentos clave, Web of Science y organismos con estadísticas oficiales. La información recopilada dio lugar a un directorio amplio de indicadores que fue revisado por un panel de expertos. Posteriormente seleccionamos un conjunto de esos indicadores según un criterio geográfico y otro temporal: disponibilidad de datos según comunidades autónomas y al menos desde 2006 hasta 2012. Resultados: Identificamos 203 indicadores contextuales sobre determinantes sociales de la salud y seleccionamos 96 (47%) según los criterios anteriores. De los indicadores identificados, el 16% no cumplieron el criterio geográfico y el 35% no cumplieron el criterio temporal. Se excluyó al menos un 80% de los indicadores relacionados con la dependencia y los servicios de salud. Los indicadores finalmente seleccionados cubrieron todas las áreas de los determinantes sociales de la salud. El 62% de estos no estuvieron disponibles en Internet. Alrededor del 40% de los indicadores se extrajeron de fuentes relacionadas con el Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Conclusiones: Proporcionamos un amplio directorio de indicadores contextuales sobre determinantes sociales de la salud y una base de datos que facilitarán la evaluación, en España y sus comunidades autónomas, del impacto de la crisis económica sobre la salud y las desigualdades en salud (AU)

Objective: To provide indicators to assess the impact on health, its social determinants and health inequalities from a social context and the recent economic recession in Spain and its autonomous regions. Methods: Based on the Spanish conceptual framework for determinants of social inequalities in health, we identified indicators sequentially from key documents, Web of Science, and organizations with official statistics. The information collected resulted in a large directory of indicators which was reviewed by an expert panel. We then selected a set of these indicators according to geographical (availability of data according to autonomous regions) and temporal (from at least 2006 to 2012) criteria. Results: We identified 203 contextual indicators related to social determinants of health and selected 96 (47%) based on the above criteria; 16% of the identified indicators did not satisfy the geographical criteria and 35% did not satisfy the temporal criteria. At least 80% of the indicators related to dependence and healthcare services were excluded. The final selection of indicators covered all areas for social determinants of health, and 62% of these were not available on the Internet. Around 40% of the indicators were extracted from sources related to the Spanish Statistics Institute. Conclusions: We have provided an extensive directory of contextual indicators on social determinants of health and a database to facilitate assessment of the impact of the economic recession on health and health inequalities in Spain and its autonomous regions (AU)

Influence maternal background has on children's mental health.

BACKGROUND: In this paper, we aim to discern how a mother's health and her socioeconomic determinants may influence her children's mental health. In addition to this, we also evaluate the influence of other household characteristics and whether or not the economic downturn has heightened the effect a parent's social gradient has on their children's mental health. METHODS: We use samples comprised of 4-14-year-old minors from the 2006 Spanish National Health Survey (SNHS), undertaken prior to the crisis, and the 2011 SNHS, carried out during the crisis. The participating children's mental health is assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Mixed models are used to evaluate the influence a mother's health and her socioeconomic status may have on her children's mental health. We also add interactions to observe the effect specific socioeconomic determinants may have had during the economic downturn. RESULTS: The risk of a child suffering from mental health disorders increases when their mother has mental health problems. Socioeconomic determinants also play a role, as a low socioeconomic status (SES) increases the risk of a child exhibiting behavioural problems, being hyperactive or antisocial, whereas when a mother has attained a high level of education, this significantly reduces the probability of a child having mental health problems. 'Homemaker' is the activity status most positively related to children's mental health. The findings show that the Spanish economic downturn has not significantly changed children's mental health problems and the negative effects of low maternal SES are no greater than they were before the crisis. The main difference in 2011, with respect to 2006, is that the risk of children suffering from mental health problems is higher when their parents are (long or short-term) unemployed. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, both a mother's health and her socioeconomic status, as well as other household characteristics, are found to be related to her children's mental well-being. Although the crisis has not significantly changed mental health disorders in children or the social gradient of parents in general, at-risk children are the most negatively affected in the Spanish economic downturn.

[Contextual indicators to assess social determinants of health and the Spanish economic recession]. / Indicadores contextuales para evaluar los determinantes sociales de la salud y la crisis económica española.

OBJECTIVE: To provide indicators to assess the impact on health, its social determinants and health inequalities from a social context and the recent economic recession in Spain and its autonomous regions. METHODS: Based on the Spanish conceptual framework for determinants of social inequalities in health, we identified indicators sequentially from key documents, Web of Science, and organisations with official statistics. The information collected resulted in a large directory of indicators which was reviewed by an expert panel. We then selected a set of these indicators according to geographical (availability of data according to autonomous regions) and temporal (from at least 2006 to 2012) criteria. RESULTS: We identified 203 contextual indicators related to social determinants of health and selected 96 (47%) based on the above criteria; 16% of the identified indicators did not satisfy the geographical criteria and 35% did not satisfy the temporal criteria. At least 80% of the indicators related to dependence and healthcare services were excluded. The final selection of indicators covered all areas for social determinants of health, and 62% of these were not available on the Internet. Around 40% of the indicators were extracted from sources related to the Spanish Statistics Institute. CONCLUSIONS: We have provided an extensive directory of contextual indicators on social determinants of health and a database to facilitate assessment of the impact of the economic recession on health and health inequalities in Spain and its autonomous regions.

[Data Analysis of Subacute Patients with Registered Information in the Minimum Basic Data Set for Social-Healthcare (CMBD-RSS), Spain]. / Análisis de datos de pacientes subagudos con información registrada en el conjunto minimo basico de datos sociosanitarios (CMBD-RSS).

OBJECTIVE: It is necessary to deepen in the knowledge of the Basic Minimum Set of Data (CMBD-RSS) of patients with chronic pathology associated and frequent hospitalisations (the subacute care). The aim of this study was to analyse the sanitary information of these patients, once initiated the subacute program. METHODS: We used data of 660 patients hospitalised in the subacute care unit at the Santa Caterina Hospital, sanitary region of Girona, from October 2013 to December 2014. The CMBD data base was analysed using SPSS Statistics 15.0. We verified the relationship between variables i.e. length of stay and age; origin of the patient admission and length of stay (Mann-Whitney U Test); main diagnosis and length of stay (Kruskal-Wallis). We also studied the relationship between origin of the patient admission and main diagnosis (Chi-square test and Cramer's V). RESULTS: The average age of patients was 83 years old, and mainly female profile (55%). Five illnesses concentrated 80% of all patients' diagnosed diseases (mental health problems, nervous system diseases, circulatory problems, respiratory system problems and genitourinary infections). Patients admitted from hospitals had a shorter length of stay (8 days) than patients admitted from home (9 days). 80% of cases patients come back home after the hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: People with chronic pathology associated and frequent hospitalisations are an important group of risk. Elderly and clinical decompensations add complexity to these cases. The evaluation of these patients at the admission and discharge procedures optimise the use of the resources.

Análisis de datos de pacientes subagudos con información registrada en el Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos Sociosanitarios (CMBD-RSS) / Data analysis of subacute patients with registered Information in Minimum Basic Data set for Social-Healthcare (CMBD-RSS), Spain

Fundamentos: Es necesario profundizar en el conocimiento del conjunto mínimo básico de datos (CMBD-RSS) de la línea sociosanitaria de pacientes subagudos (con patología crónica asociada y frecuentes ingresos). El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer las características sanitarias de este tipo de pacientes. Métodos: Muestra de 660 pacientes que ingresaron en camas de subagudos del Hospital Santa Caterina (Región Sanitaria Girona), de octubre de 2013 a diciembre de 2014. La fuente de información fue el CMBD-RSS. Se realizó análisis estadístico descriptivo y se verificó la relación entre variables: número de días de estancia y edad, procedencia del paciente y días de estancia (Significación de Mann-Whitney); diagnóstico principal y días de estancia (Kruskal-Wallis). Se contrastaron la procedencia y el diagnóstico principal mediante χ2 de Pearson y el coeficiente V de Cramer). Resultados: La edad media de las personas de la muestra fue de 83 años, el 55% eran mujeres. Los cinco grupos de enfermedades que concentraron el 80% de los diagnósticos de los pacientes fueron trastorno mental, enfermedades del sistema nervioso, cardiovasculares, respiratoria e infecciones genitourinarias). Los pacientes que procedieron del hospital, tuvieron una estancia media 8 días inferior a los procedentes de domicilio (9 días). En el 80% de los casos se retornó al domicilio al alta. Conclusiones: Las personas con patología crónica asociada con frecuentes ingresos hospitalarios configuran un grupo de riesgo importante. La elevada edad y la descompensación clínica añaden complejidad. Una correcta valoración del paciente al inicio del episodio facilita la asignación del recurso más adecuado. En la muestra estudiada se plasman las patologías más prevalentes, la procedencia, la estancia media y el destino al alta (AU)

Background: It is necessary to deepen in the knowledge of the Basic Minimum Set of Data (CMBD-RSS) of patients with chronic pathology associated and frequent hospitalisations (the subacute care). The aim of this study was to analyse the sanitary information of these patients, once initiated the subacute program. Methods: We used data of 660 patients hospitalised in the subacute care unit at the Santa Caterina Hospital, sanitary region of Girona, from October 2013 to December 2014. The CMBD data base was analysed using SPSS Statistics 15.0. We verified the relationship between variables i.e. length of stay and age; origin of the patient admission and length of stay (Mann- Whitney U Test); main diagnosis and length of stay (Kruskal-Wallis). We also studied the relationship between origin of the patient admission and main diagnosis (Chi-square test and Cramer’s V). Results: The average age of patients was 83 years old, and mainly female profile (55%). Five illnesses concentrated 80% of all patients’ diagnosed diseases (mental health problems, nervous system diseases, circulatory problems, respiratory system problems and genitourinary infections). Patients admitted from hospitals had a shorter length of stay (8 days) than patients admitted from home (9 days). 80% of cases patients come back home after the hospital discharge. Conclusions: People with chronic pathology associated and frequent hospitalisations are an important group of risk. Elderly and clinical decompensations add complexity to these cases. The evaluation of these patients at the admission and discharge procedures optimise the use of the resources (AU)