What Does It Drive the Relationship Between Suicides and Economic Conditions? New Evidence from Spain

In this paper we analyse suicides across the 17 Spanish regions over the period 2002?2013. In doing so, we estimate count panel data models considering gender differences taking into account before and during economic crisis periods. A range of aggregate socioeconomic regional-level factors have been considered. Our empirical results show that: (1) a socioeconomic urban?rural suicide differentials exist, (2) there exists a Mediterranean suicide pattern; and (3) unemployment levels have a marked importance during the crisis period. The results of this study may have usefulness for suicide prevention in Spain

Effect of having private health insurance on the use of health care services: the case of Spain

Background: Several stakeholders have undertaken initiatives to propose solutions towards a more sustainable health system and Spain, as an example of a European country affected by austerity measures, is looking for ways to cut healthcare budgets. Methods: The aim of this paper is to study the effect of private health insurance on health care utilization using the latest micro-data from the European Community Household Panel (ECHP), the Spanish National Health Survey (SNHS) and the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). We use matching techniques based on propensity score methods: single match, four matches, bias-adjustment and allowing for heteroskedasticity. Results: The results demonstrate that people with a private health insurance, use the public health system less than individuals without double health insurance coverage. Conclusions: Our conclusions are useful when policy makers design public-private partnership policie

Does early-life health enhance growth? Evidence from Spain.

ABSTRACT: This article focuses on the causal effect of early-life health on economic growth for the Spanish regions over the period 1980–2007. The hypothesis follows from recent literature, in which mortality affects growth by diminishing incentives for behaviour with short-run costs and long-run pay-offs. We provide empirical evidence that higher infant mortality has a direct negative impact on per capita income growth. Also, that a greater risk of early-life death is associated with losses on accumulation of both physical and human capital, and fertility gains, which in turn more even reduces growth

Does Social Isolation Affect Medical Doctor Visits? New Evidence Among European Older Adults

We aimed to determine whether social isolation is associated with higher health-care utilization among European older adults. We have used panel data (2004-2015) from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to examine the impact of social isolation on general practitioner health-care use. More precisely, we have considered negative binomial panel count data models to study the main driving factors. Socio-demographic, health, and social isolation measures are analyzed. Differences by Welfare Regimes have been also considered. Using two definitions of social isolation (Alone and Help), we have found that a sizeable proportion of those aged 50 years and older in Europe reported social isolation. Our results showed that while nonpartnership was significantly and positively correlated with health-care utilization (B = 0.03), providing help was significantly and negatively related with physician visits considering the full sample of European countries (B = -0.09). Differences by Welfare Regimes are highlighted. Also, Mediterranean countries consume more health-care services than other European ones. Targeting interventions for social isolated elders may significantly decrease general practitioner consultations and so health-care costs. Our findings provide several implications in current debates on the sustainability of welfare states