Preventable mortality in regions of Slovakia-quantification of regional disparities and investigation of the impact of environmental factors

Environmental health is among the priority areas of public health, and the current professional communities are intensively engaged with it. The main objective of the study is to quantify regional disparities of preventable mortality in Slovakia and to study the extent of the influence of selected environmental factors on changes in the development of its values. A cross-sectional linear regression model is used to quantify effects of environmental factors on the preventable mortality. Also, cluster analysis is used to identify regions with similar levels of air pollution. Environmental factors were selected based on the study of the World Health Organization. From the point of view of the influence of environmental factors on preventable mortality in the case of men, statistically significant connection to sewerage, SO2 production, and production of particulate matter was demonstrated. In the case of women, equally important factors showed connection to sewerage and SO2. The results of this study point to significant regional disparities in preventable mortality and a different degree of impact of environmental factors. Preventable mortality is above the Slovak average in most of the least-developed districts. Even in this group, there are significant differences.ATTRACTIVE DANUBE "Improving Capacities for Enhancing Territorial Attractiveness of the Danube Region" [DTP40]; European Union Funds (ERDF, IPA

Quantification of similarity relationships according to parameters of day surgery system

Performing day surgery should minimise a number of hospitalisation cases, but its use is determined by many factors. It takes advantage of the latest advances in surgical care, enabling better use of highly costly specialised operating room equipment. This analysis of the day surgery system of the Slovak Republic stands on an examination of the five specialised fields-surgery, gynaecology, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, and urology. The explored period covers the years 2009 to 2017. The whole analysis is divided into the two sections-the youth category and for the adult category. For each case, a hospitalisation ratio is computed. A map visualisation supports the analysis outcome. A quantification of the similarity relationships between the regions is done according to a Euclidean distance approach and it is illustrated through the heat map. The centremost region is the Žilina Region with distance at a level of 1.9821, meaning that it performs as the most similar region to a development of a hospitalisation ratio in the whole Slovak Republic regarding all the examined aspects. The findings introduce an important platform for a creation of regional and national health plans in the area of healthcare provision for the population of the country.Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic (Ministerstvo skolstva, vedy, vyskumu a sportu Slovenskej republiky); Slovak Academy Sciences (Slovenska akademia vied) [VEGA 1/0846/18

Change of EU28 countries research and development indicators between 2010 and 2015

In the paper evaluation of research and development efficiency change in EU28 countries between 2010 and 2015. The authors used the non -radial and non oriented Malmquist index of available R&D indicators of EU28 countries (five inputs and two outputs) and have found six groups of EU28 countries from the viewpoint of three index terms values (efficiency shift, frontier shift and Malmquist index). The relatively best group of countries with progress in both efficiency shift and frontier shift terms (Malmquist index >1) is represented by two countries: Italy and Germany. The last group contains the six relatively worst countries with regress in all three terms (efficiency shift, frontier shift and Malmquist index < 1): Netherlands, Greece, Malta, Poland, Luxembourg and Portugal. It was found by means of the nonparametric test that post-socialist countries are not different from capitalist EU countries from the viewpoint of efficiency change between 2010 and 2015. The biggest change in R&D efficiency using the Malmquist index between 2010 and 2015 was found in Spain, Latvia, Denmark and Ireland. Conversely, the smallest change in R&D efficiency is demonstrated by Poland, Luxembourg and Portugal.project Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness [CZ. 1.07/2.3.00/20.0296]; Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic; Slovak Academy Sciences [VEGA 1/0843/18

Tourist spending and productivity of economy in OECD countries – Research on perspectives of sustainable tourism

Tourism represents the sector of services which is developing the most considerably and dynamically. However, its development is influenced by: trends in globalization, process of demographic aging, economic parameters, geographical conditions of a country, consumers, and other aspects. The following aspects contribute to its development: new destinations, markets, innovative activities in service sector, and also technological development. Tourism plays a significant economic role in a process of sustainable regional development, where it helps to develop low-growth regions. Monitoring and quantification of tourism outputs is a very complicated process. There also absents a quality database, which complicates a quantification of sector’s efficiency and a creation of national and international benchmarking indicators that inform of sustainable tourism level. These aspects demand a realization of multi-dimensional analyses, which would examine causal relations between tourism factors and economic parameters of a country. The study’s moti vation was driven by all of the above-mentioned facts. It aims at researching an influence of tourism spending on OECD countries’ productivity. Consequently, it evaluates their potential of the sector’s sustainability. Multiple analytical procedures, which were determined by database availability, were performed in order to achieve the, research aim. The following analyses were performed besides the descriptive statistics: variance analysis of researched variables between individual years and OECD countries, context analysis, regression and cluster analyses. There were analysed 5 variables that characterize individual types of tourist spending: Business Tourism Spending, Domestic Tourism Spending, Leisure Tourism Spending, Outbound Travel & Tourism Expenditure, Visitor Exports (Foreign Spending) and one variable that characterizes productivity during 2010 – 2018 for all OECD countries. Spending variables were standardized per 1,000 inhabitants of a given country and productivity was measured by GDP per capita, while both groups of variables were provided in USD (fair value). The analyses’ results provided interesting findings. The regression models’ outputs confirmed an influence of tourist spending on a country’s productivity. All variables that indicate spending are significant. The cluster analysis’s results allowed a selection of countries into four groups. There is two huge clusters and other two clusters represent only one countries in specific cluster. Luxemburg and Iceland give us different values than countries in other clusters. The countries with higher rank are as follows: Australia (AUS), Austria (AUT), Belgium (BEL), Canada (CAN), Germany (DEU), Denmark (DNK), Finland (FIN), France (FRA), Unites Kingdom (GBR), Switzerland (CHE), Ireland (IRL), Italy (ITA), Netherland (NLD), Norway (NOR), New Zealand (NZL), Sweden (SWE), United States (USA), Island (ISL) and Luxembourg (LUX). On the other hand, the countries with lower rank are as follows: Czech Republic CZE, Spain (ESP), Estonia (EST), Greece (GRC), Hungary (HUN), Chile (CHL), Israel (ISR), Japan (JPN), Korea (KOR), Lithuania (LTU), Latvia (LVA), Mexico (MEX), Poland (POL), Portugal (PRT), Slovak Republic (SVK), Slovenia (SVN) and Turkey (TUR). These findings provide a space for a deeper research of effect between determinants of tourism development and economic indicators, while they enable to reveal a space for a growth of countries’ productivity that would provide a sustainability in tourism sector. © Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center. All rights reserved

Evaluation of selected determinants of public procurement in the health sector

This article aims at anexaminationof the impact of the number of public procurement tenders in the healthcare sector on the final purchase price. We used the data from 1544 public contracts related to the acquisition of health technologies for the years 2014-2017. The highest number of public contracts was reached at level of 501 in 2014, and the lowest number was 238 in 2017. The highest average value of estimated and final prices was found in 2015. The proportion of tenders submitted with only one tenderer was over 39 %. For the analysis, we used a generalized linear model and quantile regression. The results showed that, as the number of bids increased by one unit, the ratio of final and projected price on average would change 0.975 times, which means an increase in savings by 2.45%. Using quantile regression, we modelled the influenceof the explanatory variables on the individual quantiles of the explained variable instead of the conditional mean. The aim was to determine the impact of the number of proposals at everyovercharge level. As the order value of the quantile increases, the effect of offers on generating savings in public procurement is gradually decreasing. For more than 40 % of the most overpriced orders, the number of offers does not have a statistically significant effect on the size of the savings. With 25 % of the most economical orders with an increasing number of bids by one unit, savings of 4.77 % were achieved. However, increasing the number of procurement contracts to create savings in public procurement may develop differently over time. By applying the generalized linear model, we found that in 2014 the increase in the number of offers by one unit had an impact on the average increase in public procurement savings of 7.15 %. In 2015, this impact fell to 1.59 %. In 2016, the growth in the number of proposals did not have a statistically significant impact on the average increase or decrease in savings. In 2017, this value increased slightly above 1.96 %. Public acquisition processes will continue to be a critical pointfor the efficient allocation of public resources. © 2020, Bucharest University of Economic Studies Publishing House. All rights reserved

Economic aspects of public procurement parameters in tertiary education sector

Public procurement is a very important area of competitiveness development of the countries. Significant public sector financial resources are allocated through public procurement. Over the last decade, there has been a growing demand for an investigation of the efficiency of public procurement processes. In the research studies, analyses focusing on methodological aspects, efficiency assessment models, economic and transaction costs and other economic parameters in relation to public procurement have begun to appear gradually. Their importance has increased in the recent period, especially in the era associated with a lack of financial resources in the economic and social spheres. A correct determination of the mechanisms ensuring the implementation of transparent competition is able to allow improvement of competitive environment. Such aspects prompt this study, which is aimed at examination of the selected parameters of public procurement in the tertiary education sector and their impact on the final cost of the public procurement contract. There are no such sectoral analyses within the national environments, making it difficult to create an international comparative basis. The aim of the paper is to investigate the impact of the selected public procurement parameters on the final price. These parameters are subcontractor participation, European funds funding, usage of electronic auction, type of procured item, and procurement procedure. Besides these ones, public procurement processes also influence the final price. Approximately, a share of 95 % from the expected price is reflected in the final price, whilst a mean regression coefficient of the number of offers reaches a level of-17499.07 in the year 2017. The outcome of the analysis can help the procurers to identify the behavior of public procurement and to confirm or disprove the significance of the parameters that are examined using the quantitative methods. The results of this analysis are beneficial for national policymakers as well as national and international benchmarking. © 2019, Bucharest University of Economic Studies Publishing House. All rights reserved

Investigation of relationship between spatial distribution of medical equipment and preventable mortality

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between the spatial distribution of the selected medical equipment and the preventable mortality rate in the regions of the Slovak Republic. The main analytical approach is carried out through the cluster analysis based on a Euclidean distance technique in order to get similarity of the administrative divisions in form of a district and a pseudot2 approach aimed at the determination of a number of the districts in a cluster. A number of medical equipment had a rising tendency from the year 2008. The most extreme position according to a localisation distribution of the computed tomographs and the magnetic resonance imaging scanners is held by the Košice IV District at the level of 7.50630. From an angle of view of the preventable mortality, the Piešt’any District holds the most extreme position peaking at the level of 10.97969 for the female sex and the Kežmarok District with the value of 9.44088. The study has the significant dissemination outputs for health policy interventions, especially to draw up regional health plans for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging deployment, mainly in locations with a high preventable mortality rate for both sexes. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Slovak Research and Development AgencySlovak Research and Development Agency [APVV-17-0360

Determinants of public fund´s savings formation via public procurement process

The aim of procurement is to achieve savings of public resources. Domestic and foreign studies point to the fact that the condition of achieving the savings is sufficient competition on the supply side. Slovakia currently belongs to the group of countries with low competition in public procurement deals. Furthermore, in this context we have compared the best practices of using public funds with regard to public procurement in the Czech Republic. The aim of this paper is to create and analyze models of the number of tenders subcontractor participation and open competition on the savings achieved in public procurement. Based on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test in the R software is demonstrated that public procurement in an average is a way to save public funds. Using linear regression in R program positive effect of the number of offers to saving process is identified. Across the investigated group as well as at dividing to limit and above the limit contracts, any further offer increased energy in average of 3%. Participation of the subcontractor has positive effect on savings in the whole study group and at above limit contracts over 1.35 million euros without value added tax. Open competition as a kind of public procurement is not statistically significant in pursuit of savings in procurement for a given sample. © 2017, Academy of Economic Studies from Bucharest. All rights reserved

Research and development efficiency in public and private sectors: An empirical analysis of EU countries by using DEA methodology

Both the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) and its embedded technology diffusion exponentially progress and grow in terms of technical change and socioeconomic impact. The aim of this study was the evaluation of research and development efficiency in the public and private sectors in EU countries. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology, within which the slack-based model was applied, was used to achieve this aim. The Malmquist index (MI) was used to calculate changes in research and development efficiency during 2010/2013 and 2014/2017. The results present a decrease in total Research and Development (R&D) productivity in public and private sectors for an average of EU countries (28). However, Spain, Slovenia, and Portugal (in the public sector), and Ireland and Romania (in the private sector) revealed an increase of a total R&D productivity during 2010/2013 and 2014/2017 that was primarily influenced by an increase of technical efficiency (catch-up effect). Similarly, the results confirm the differences in R&D efficiency in private and public sectors in the European countries. The study's results also provide a valuable platform for creators of national strategic and innovative investment and educational plans, and creators of relevant policies and create a platform for national and international benchmarking indicators. © 2020 by the authors.Research and Development Agency GA AA [21/2020]; research project VEGA [1/0794/18

Methods for estimating avoidable costs of excessive alcohol consumption

Background: Alcohol is a risk factor with serious consequences for society and individuals. This study aims to present methods and approaches that might be used to estimate the costs related to excessive alcohol consumption. It emphasizes the need for general methods and approaches that are easily applicable, because the level of digitalization and data availability vary across regions. The lack of data makes many methods inapplicable and useless. The ease of applicability will help to make cost-of-illness studies and their results comparable globally. Methods: This study is based on data from the Czech Republic in 2017. Drinking alcohol results in costs of healthcare, social care, law enforcement, and administrative costs of public authorities. To quantify the cost of drinking in the Czech Republic, the top-down approach, bottom-up approach, human capital approach and attributable fractions were used. Results: In 2017, the cost related to alcohol was estimated at 0.66% of the national GDP. Lost productivity represented 54.45% of total cost related to alcohol. All cost related to alcohol is considered to be avoidable. Conclusions: The methods and approaches applied to estimate the cost of disease or any other health issue should be generalized regarding the availability of data and specifics of provided services to people who are addicted or have any kind of disability. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Slovak Research and Development AgencySlovak Research and Development Agency [APVV-17-0360]; Government Council for Drug Policy Coordination of the Czech Republic [A-86-19]; Internal Grant Agency of FaME Tomas Bata University in Zlin: RVO/2020: "Economic quantification of marketing processes that focus on value increase for a patient in a process of system creation to measure and control efficiency in health facilities in theAgentúra na Podporu Výskumu a Vývoja, APVV: APVV-17-0360; Univerzita Tomáše Bati ve Zlín