Exploring New Models for Implementing Sustainable Integrated Health Access for People in Vulnerable Positions: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study.

BACKGROUND: Health care is a strongly universal right across European welfare states; however, social inequalities in health persist. This literature argues that health care organization is an important but overlooked determinant of social inequalities in health, as health systems buffer or amplify structural and individual health determinants. The Client-Centered Coordination Platform (3CP) model offers integrated health access to people with severe mental illness, through core groups of professionals from across health and social services. OBJECTIVE: This study focuses on vulnerable people with severe mental health problems and aims to analyze how the model can give people with severe mental illness more integrated access to health and social care. This can form a stepping-stone for the upscaling of the 3CP model. METHODS: We conduct a 5-year multiple case study of 3 municipalities in Denmark, where 3CP is being implemented. In a 1-year pilot study, we expect to gather quantitative registry data from the municipalities and the Central Denmark Region to explore the characteristics of people included in 3CP. We will also collect qualitative data, including 21 hours of observations; 36 interviews with users, professionals, and managers; and 3 focus groups across the 3 municipalities. In a subsequent, 4-year qualitative study, we aim to conduct 120 hours of observations, 120 interviews, and 24 focus groups. In parallel with the qualitative study, we will facilitate a cocreation process to develop tools for sustaining integrated health access. RESULTS: As of January 2024, we have completed the individual interviews with users of 3CP and professionals and the focus groups. Individual interviews of managers will be conducted during the 1st quarter of 2024. The quantitative data are being collected. CONCLUSIONS: Inequality is one of the greatest challenges that European societies face. Understanding new and innovative approaches to integrated care may provide valuable solutions to the challenges posed. Especially understanding and designing health and social care systems that meet the needs and abilities of those users requiring them most, is vitally important to tackle inequality. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56197.

[Social inequalities in health]. / Déterminants sociaux et accès aux services de santé.

In France, the health status of the population is marked by a paradox: good health on average, but significant health inequalities from childhood and throughout life. Social inequalities in health result from unequal distribution of social determinants, which refer to the social, political, economic, cultural and environmental factors that shape the living conditions in which people are born, grow up, live and age.

[Young people, a key target]. / Les jeunes, une cible déterminante.

Health determinants, whether direct (e.g. behavior) or indirect (e.g. environment), have an impact on the health status of the population. In this article, we look at the influence of some of these parameters on young people, a key target group for the future.

Are all cancer survivors included when using electronically administered patient reported outcomes in primary healthcare cancer rehabilitation? A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are being used frequently in clinical practice. PROs often serve several purposes, such as increasing patient involvement, assessing health status, and monitoring and improving the quality-of-care at an aggregated level. However, the lack of representative PRO-data may have implications for all these purposes. This study aims to assess the association of non-administration of (not sending an electronic invite to PRO) and non-response to (not responding to PRO) electronically administered PROs with social inequality in a primary healthcare cancer rehabilitation setting. Furthermore, it examines whether the workflows surrounding PRO have an impact on non-administration and non-response. METHODS: This is a cross sectional study using routinely collected data from electronic health records and registers including cancer survivors (CSs) over 18 years booked for an initial consultation in a primary healthcare cancer rehabilitation setting using PROs for systematic health status assessment. During the study period two different PRO platforms were used, each associated with different workflows. Non-administration and non-response rates were calculated for sociodemographic characteristics for each PRO platform. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 1868 (platform 1) and 1446 (platform 2) CSCSs were booked for an initial consultation. Of these, 233 (12.5%) (platform 1) and 283 (19.6%) (platform 2) were not sent a PRO (non-administration). Among those who received a PRO, 157 (9.6%) on platform 1 and 140 (12.0%) on platform 2 did not respond (non-response). Non-administration of and non-response to PROs were significantly associated with lower socioeconomic status. Moreover, the workflows surrounding PROs seem to have an impact on non-inclusion in and non-response to PROs. CONCLUSIONS: Non-administration of and non-response to PROs in clinical practice is associated with determinants of social inequality. Clinical workflows and the PRO platforms used may potentially worsen this inequality. It is important to consider these implications when using PROs at both the individual and aggregated levels. A key aspect of implementing PROs in clinical practice is the ongoing focus on representativeness, including a focus on monitoring PRO administration and response.

Experiences of receiving a medical consultation - an interview study among hospitalized psychiatric patients.

PURPOSE: People with mental illness often experience more physical health problems, compared to the general population. Therefore, we conducted medical consultations to hospitalized psychiatric patients. The purpose of our study was to investigate experiences of medical consultations from a patient perspective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted 17 qualitative, semi-structured interviews with hospitalized psychiatric patients who received a medical consultation in the period of February to May 2023. The interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. RESULTS: Patients perceived the medical consultation as important in bridging the gap between psychiatric and somatic treatment. The consultation created a sense of security, with patients emphasizing the importance of acknowledgment by the medical doctor. However, some patients were affected by their state of mind and their psychiatric treatment, resulting in memory impairment, which prevented fully utilization of the medical consultation. The support from psychiatric staff proved crucial for patients in initiating somatic interventions.The results are presented in the two overarching themes: (1) Experiences of a medical consultation in a psychiatric setting and (2) communication and support as influential factors for benefits of the medical consultation. CONCLUSION: Our interview study reveals that hospitalized psychiatric patients experience a medical consultation as an important initiative. The relationship between the patient and the medical doctor, the patient's state of mind, and the support of the psychiatric staff play significant roles. Incorporating these factors in the medical consultation enables a beneficial outcome that can improve the health of people with mental illness.

As Long As it Lasts-Older Substance Users, Brittle Ties and Danish Health Care.

In this article, we examine a group of older marginalized substance-using citizens and their relations to Danish health care. We offer empirical examples collected through ethnographic fieldwork, about how they handle their health situation and encounters with the Danish healthcare system. Analytically, we particularly draw on the concept of disposable ties, and suggest the term "brittle ties" to nuance the term and examine how perceived individual autonomy is weighted against health care trajectories and how these citizens often prefer to fend for themselves or lean on provisional networks rather than enter into health care trajectories and follow-up treatment.

Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) reporting tool: developing a checklist for policymakers.

INTRODUCTION: Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) is a decision support tool that shows users how a new program, policy, or innovation affects health equity in different population groups. Various HEIA reporting and dissemination tools are available, nevertheless, a practical standard tool to present the results of HEIA in an appropriate period to policymakers is lacking. This work reports the development of a tool (a checklist) for HEIA reporting at the decision-making level, aiming to promote the application of HEIA evidence for improving health equity. METHODS: This is a mixed-method study that was carried out over four stages in 2022-2023: 1) identifying HEIA models, checklists, and reporting instruments; 2) development of the initial HEIA reporting checklist; 3) checklist validation; and 4) piloting the checklist. We also analyzed the Face, CVR, and CVI validity of the tool. RESULTS: We developed the initial checklist through analysis of 53 included studies and the opinions of experts. The final checklist comprised five sections: policy introduction (eight subsections), managing the HEIA of policy (seven subsections), scope of the affected population (three subsections), HEIA results (seven subsections), and recommendations (three subsections). CONCLUSION: Needs assessment, monitoring during implementation, health impact assessment, and other tools such as monitoring outcome reports, appraisals, and checklists are all methods for assessing health equity impact. Other equity-focused indicators, such as the equity lens and equity appraisal, may have slightly different goals than the HEIA. Similarly, the formats for presenting and publishing HEIA reports might vary, depending on the target population and the importance of the report.

Alcohol-related mortality in 15-24-year-olds in Denmark (2010-2019): a nationwide exploratory study of circumstances and socioeconomic predictors.

Background: Adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years are disproportionately affected by unnatural deaths, including accidents, suicide and interpersonal violence for which alcohol is a leading risk factor. We aimed to explore the extent of and circumstances surrounding alcohol-related deaths in young people aged 15-24 years and whether socioeconomic background and ethnicity differ in those who died due to alcohol-related causes as compared to the background population. Methods: All deaths of 15-24-year-olds occurring in Denmark from 2010 to 2019 were investigated. We manually reviewed death certificates containing information on circumstances, results from autopsies and blood tests, and statements from witnesses. Relevant information published in the media (most often newspaper articles) was included. Our main outcome measures were alcohol-related death and manner of death (accidents (transport accidents, drownings, falls, poisonings), suicide and violence). Further, we designed a population-based case-control study including 10 age- and sex-matched controls per case to test whether there was a socioeconomic gradient in alcohol-related deaths. We used parents' educational level and employment status to define socioeconomic position. Immigration status was used to assess ethnicity. Findings: Over the 10-year period, 1783 deaths occurred among 15-24-year-olds. Of those, 1067 (60%) were due to unnatural causes, corresponding to a mortality rate of 14.8 (95% confidence interval: 13.9-15.7) per 100,000. Twelve percent of unnatural deaths (n = 125) were alcohol related, corresponding to a rate of 1.7 (1.4-2.0) per 100,000, and were higher in males (2.9 [2.3-3.4]) than in females (0.6 [0.3-0.8]); thus, males accounted for 105 (84%) of alcohol-related deaths. The majority of alcohol-related deaths occurred on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (n = 77, 62%). Accidents accounted for 82% (n = 102) of alcohol-related deaths, followed by suicide (n = 19, 15%) and interpersonal violence (n = 4, 3%). Of all fatal accidents, 102 of 636 (16%) were alcohol related. Of all deaths caused by drownings and falls, 14 of 26 (54%) and 10 of 25 (40%), respectively, were alcohol related. Alcohol-related drownings most often occurred while the deceased was alone, whereas alcohol-related falls most often occurred in relation to parties, involving falls from a window or balcony. Those who died from alcohol-related causes more often had parents with a short education or who were unemployed, as compared to the general population. For example, odds ratios were 3.9 (2.2-7.0) and 1.8 (1.2-2.9) for having parents with short and medium as compared to long educations. The odds ratio for being of Danish origin was 4.0 (1.7-9.5) compared to being first- or second-generation immigrants. Interpretation: In 15-24-year-olds, alcohol-related deaths accounted for a substantial proportion of all unnatural deaths. There was substantial socioeconomic inequality in alcohol-related deaths, as has repeatedly been shown for chronic alcohol-related mortality in older adults. Funding: Trygfonden.

Associação entre etnia e sobrepeso/obesidade populacional no Brasil / Association between ethnicity and population overweight/obesity in Brazil

Introdução: A obesidade é uma doença multifatorial, crônica e progressiva, que afeta parcelas consideráveis da população mundial e brasileira. Estudos mostram que sociedades e ambientes com maiores níveis de racismo estrutural podem desencadear maiores níveis de prevalência de obesidade nas suas populações marginalizadas. Assim, a maior vulnerabilidade das populações de etnia preta no Brasil, decorrentes do racismo estrutural e institucional instaurado, leva a maiores índices de sobrepeso e obesidade ocasionadas pela incapacidade de tais populações garantirem a segurança alimentar. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a evolução da prevalência do sobrepeso e obesidade nas populações da etnia branca e preta no Brasil, avaliando hábitos alimentares com potencial de promover a obesidade. Além disso, buscou-se relacionar o agravamento do IMC populacional no Brasil com a etnia e o racismo estrutural presente na sociedade brasileira. Método: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de cunho transversal. Foram selecionadas 12 questões padronizadas do inquérito VIGITEL realizados nos anos de 2011 a 2020. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, e para comparação entre os grupos étnicos aplicou-se o teste T de Student. Resultados: Os resultados, de modo geral, evidenciam que indivíduos da etnia preta apresentam maior grau de IMC (Kg/m2) em comparação à etnia branca. Os dados de IMC entre as capitais brasileiras demonstram que tanto em 2011, quanto em 2020, as médias do índice avaliado foram maiores entre a população de etnia preta, apresentando 26,03 Kg/m2 e 27,07 Kg/m2 respectivamente, enquanto os indivíduos declarados brancos tiveram médias de 25,7 Kg/m2 e 26,45 Kg/m2 nos mesmos anos. O IMC médio nos anos de 2011 a 2020, de 25,99 Kg/m2para a etnia branca, e de 26,50 Kg/m2 para a etnia preta indicam sobrepeso no âmbito nacional. Ademais, o consumo médio de verduras e legumes foi inferior entre a etnia preta, a qual manifestou uma frequência alimentar maior no consumo de refrigerante ou suco artificial do que a etnia branca, apresentando, de um modo geral, uma alimentação de menor qualidade. Conclusão: O IMC médio e a prevalência de sobrepeso estão aumentando nas populações das capitais do Brasil, sendo tal aumento mais acentuado nas populações da etnia preta. Também se observou que as populações da etnia preta possuem uma alimentação de menor qualidade, quando comparado à alimentação da população de etnia branca (AU).

Introduction: Obesity is a multifactorial, chronic, and progressive disease that affects considerable portions of the world and Brazilian populations. Studies show that societies and environments with higher levels of structural racism can trigger higher levels of obesity prevalence in their marginalized populations. Thus, the greater vulnerability of populations of black ethnicity in Brazil, resulting from the structural and institutional racism established, leads to higher rates of overweight and obesity caused by the inability of such populations to guarantee food security. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the evolution of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in white and black populations in Brazil, evaluating eating habits with the potential to promote obesity. In addition, we aimed to relate the worsening of the populational BMI in Brazil with ethnicity and structural racism present in Brazilian society. Method: This investigation is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Twelve standardized questions from the VIGITEL survey were selected from 2011 to 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and Student's T-test was applied to compare ethnic groups. Results: The results, in general, show that individuals of the black ethnic group have a higher degree of BMI (Kg/m2) compared to the white ethnic group. BMI (Kg/m2) data for Brazilian capitals show that both in 2011 and 2020, the averages of the evaluated index were higher among the black population, presenting 26.03 Kg/m2 and 27.07 Kg/m2, respectively, while individuals declared white had averages of 25.7 Kg/m2 and 26.45 Kg/m2 in the same years. The average BMI in 2011 to 2020, of 25.99 Kg/m2 for the white ethnicity, and of 26.50 Kg/m2 for the black ethnicity, indicates overweight at the national level. In addition, the average consumption of vegetables was lower among black people, which showed a higher food frequency in the consumption of soft drinks or artificial juice than the white people, presenting, in general, a lower quality diet. Conclusion: The average BMI and the prevalence of overweight are increasing in the populations of the capitals of Brazil, being this increase more accentuated in the populations of black ethnicity. It was also observed that the populations of black ethnicity have a lower quality in their diet compared to the diet of the white population (AU).

The role of social support in the experience of life with ischemic heart disease for socially disadvantaged patients: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) displays wide social inequalities that are often explained with reference to lifestyle factors. However, research indicates that social support may also play an important role in social inequality in IHD. This study aims to explore the role of social support in the experience of life with IHD for socially disadvantaged patients. METHODS: The study was conducted as a critical hermeneutic qualitative study in Denmark between October 2018 and August 2019. Data consist of in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 socially disadvantaged patients with IHD. RESULTS: The findings showed a notable difference between the participants who were engaged in close and supportive social relationships and those who were not. Life with IHD for those who lacked supportive relationships tended to be marked by feelings of chaos, powerlessness and meaninglessness. Contrarily, those who were engaged in supportive relationships received help to navigate their life with illness, reconcile with what had happened to them, feel empowered, and gain a sense of meaning in their life.Discussion: Social support from close social relationships appears to be crucial for socially disadvantaged ischemic heart patients, and should be encouraged and facilitated in healthcare and interventions targeting this patient group.

Unpacking the Public Health Triad of Social Inequality in Health, Health Literacy, and Quality of Life-A Scoping Review of Research Characteristics.

Social inequalities in health, health literacy, and quality of life serve as distinct public health indicators, but it remains unclear how and to what extent they are applied and combined in the literature. Thus, the characteristics of the research have yet to be established, and we aim to identify and describe the characteristics of research that intersects social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life. We conducted a scoping review with systematic searches in ten databases. Studies applying any design in any population were eligible if social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life were combined. Citations were independently screened using Covidence. The search yielded 4111 citations, with 73 eligible reports. The reviewed research was mostly quantitative and aimed at patient populations in a community setting, with a scarcity of reports specifically defining and assessing social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life, and with only 2/73 citations providing a definition for all three. The published research combining social inequality in health, health literacy, and quality of life is heterogeneous regarding research designs, populations, contexts, and geography, where social inequality appears as a contextualizing variable.

Relação entre iniquidade racial e violência obstétrica no parto / Relation between racial inequality and obstetric violence in childbirth

A iniquidade racial é a desigualdade em oportunidades e condições de vida que acontece em decorrência da etnia de uma pessoa. Indivíduos pretos, pardos e indígenas são modelos de povos que resistem aos desafios subsequentes dos processos históricos de segregação. Objetivo: Verificar a influência dos aspectos raciais na prática de violência obstétrica na atenção ao parto e nascimento. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo com abordagem quantitativa, de corte transversal, com coleta de dados prospectiva, realizado em uma maternidade pública na cidade de Goiânia, Goiás. Resultados: Pode-se determinar um cuidado menos satisfatórios para as mulheres negras quando comparado com as brancas para a maioria dos indicadores avaliados neste estudo. Mulheres pretas e pardas têm maior chance de sofrerem manobra de Kristeller, amniotomia precoce, privação alimentar no trabalho de parto, clampeamento imediato do cordão umbilical e menor chance de contato pele a pele e de ser ofertado métodos não farmacológicos para o alívio da dor. Conclusão: O fator raça/cor influencia no tratamento em que as mulheres recebem dentro do estabelecimento de saúde.

Racial inequity is inequality in opportunities and living conditions that occurs as a result of a person's ethnicity. Black, brown and indigenous individuals are models of peoples who resist the subsequent challenges of historical processes of segregation. Objective: To verify the influence of racial aspects in the practice of obstetric violence in labor and birth care. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, with prospective data collection, carried out in a public maternity hospital in the city of Goiânia, Goiás. Results: Less satisfactory care can be determined for black women when compared to white women for most of the indicators evaluated in this study. Black and brown women are more likely to undergo the Kristeller maneuver, early amniotomy, food deprivation during labor, immediate clamping of the umbilical cord and less chance of skin-to-skin contact and being offered non-pharmacological methods for pain relief. Conclusion: The race/color factor alone influences the treatment that women receive within the health establishment.

Ethnic minority patients in healthcare from a Scandinavian welfare perspective: The case of Denmark.

The Scandinavian welfare states are known for their universal access to healthcare; however, health inequalities affecting ethnic minority patients are prevalent. Ethnic minority patients' encounters with healthcare systems are often portrayed as part of a system that represents objectivity and neutrality. However, the Danish healthcare sector is a political apparatus that is affected by policies and conceptualisations. Health policies towards ethnic minorities are analysed using Bacchi's policy analysis, to show how implicit problem representations are translated from political and societal discourses into the Danish healthcare system. Our analysis shows that health policies are based on different ideas of who ethnic minority patients are and what kinds of challenges they entail. Two main issues are raised: First, ethnic minorities are positioned as bearers of 'culture' and 'ethnicity'. These concepts of 'othering' become both explanations for and the cause of inappropriate healthcare behaviour. Second, the Scandinavian welfare states are known for their solidarity, collectivism, equality and tolerance, also grounded in a postracial, colour-blind and noncolonial past ideology that forms the societal self-image. Combined with the ethical and legal responsibility of healthcare professionals to treat all patients equally, our findings indicate little leeway for addressing the discrimination experienced by ethnic minority patients.

The value of social networks to individuals with a severe traumatic brain injury: a mixed methods approach.

PURPOSE: In this study, we investigate the nature and strength of the social relations of working-age individuals who have survived a severe traumatic brain injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three survivors diagnosed with severe traumatic brain injury completed the social network analysis questionnaire, enabling us to map their social networks using the software program EgoNet.QF. This was combined with interviews with four survivors and their significant members of their network and constructed narrative cases of the resources gained from their network. RESULTS: Half the survivors lost friends because of the brain injury. The most common social network post injury comprised parents followed by spouses. Close relatives experienced a dramatic change in the nature of their relationships with the survivor. They also struggled greatly with the rehabilitation health system, which in many cases affected their own careers. CONCLUSION: Persons with severe traumatic brain injury and their close relatives predominantly learn to manage the new situation, with functionality driving social interaction. However, as social networks often are limited to the close family, these individuals are placed in a vulnerable position.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONExisting networks (whether few or many) are of major importance for individuals with traumatic brain injury in the rehabilitation process.Close social relations possess knowledge about the survivor with traumatic brain injury that is important for the rehabilitation process.To support individuals and their families who lack strong resources and social networks, health care professionals should systematically identify these persons from admission to hospital and primary care.When these persons have been identified, individual plans for how to strengthen their network can be developed in collaboration with the individuals and their existing social network.

An Overwhelming Burden of Psychosocial Stress: Life With Ischemic Heart Disease for Midlife Patients With Low Socioeconomic Status and Lack of Flexible Resources.

The largest social inequalities in ischemic heart disease are found in the midlife population. These inequalities are often explained by lifestyle factors, while the role of structural factors and psychosocial stress are generally less acknowledged. In this study, we explore the influence of psychosocial stress on life with ischemic heart disease for midlife patients with low socioeconomic status and lack of flexible resources. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 participants, and a critical hermeneutic approach was used to analyze and interpret data. We found that the participants were exposed to several external psychosocial stressors related to their family relationships, employment conditions, and experiences of stigmatization. These stressors reinforced each other and created an overwhelming burden of psychosocial stress. Our findings call for supportive interventions that target external psychosocial stressors and stressful feelings among this vulnerable group of patients.

Parameterizing standard measures of income and health inequality using choice experiments.

When measuring inequality using conventional inequality measures, ethical assumptions about distributional preferences are often implicitly made. In this paper, we ask whether the ethical assumptions underlying the concentration index for income-related health inequality and the Gini index for income inequality are supported in a representative sample of the Swedish population using an internet-based survey. We find that the median subject has preferences regarding income-related health inequality that are in line with the ethical assumptions implied by the concentration index, but put higher weight on the poor than what is implied by the Gini index of income inequality. We find that women and individuals with a poorer health status put higher weight on the poor than men and healthier individuals. Ethically flexible inequality measures, such as the s-Gini index and the extended concentration index, imply that researchers have to choose from a toolbox of infinitely many inequality indices. The results of this paper are indicative of which indices (i.e. which parameter values) reflect the views of the population regarding how inequality should be defined.

Population differences in health-related quality of life between cancer survivors and controls: Does low educational attainment widen the gap?

Aims: This study aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among cancer survivors and controls in the Danish population, with special attention given to the impact of low educational attainment. Comparisons were made at population level and for subgroups stratified by education. Furthermore, comparisons were made for all cancer diagnoses combined and for the 14 most prevalent cancer sites and 'other cancer sites'. Finally, the importance of time since initial diagnosis was examined. Methods: HRQOL was measured using the physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 in a population-based survey. By linking data with the Danish Cancer Registry, 11,166 cancer survivors and 151,117 individuals with no history of cancer were identified. Results: HRQOL was reduced in cancer survivors for all cancers combined and most cancer sites. Differences were found at population level and stratified by educational attainment. PCS was reduced to a similar extent in the three educational groups, whereas MCS was reduced slightly more in the low than in the high educational attainment group. HRQOL increased with time since initial diagnosis during the first years. Conclusions: Cancer survivors had lower HRQOL than controls, and HRQOL was lower in the low than in the high educational attainment group. However, low educational attainment did not widen the gap in HRQOL following a cancer diagnosis. Despite this, the combined effect of low educational attainment and a cancer diagnosis markedly reduced HRQOL in some cancer survivors. The study identified groups of cancer survivors with low HRQOL who may have unmet rehabilitation needs.

How Structural Compensation Facilitates Health Care for the Homeless. A Comparative View on Four European Union Member States.

There is robust evidence that homelessness and the associated life conditions of a homeless person may cause and exacerbate a wide range of health problems, while healthcare for the homeless is simultaneously limited in accessibility, availability, and appropriateness. This article investigates legal frameworks of health care provision, existing knowledge on numbers of homeless to be considered, and current means of health care provision for four EU countries with different economic and public health background: Austria, Greece, Poland, and Romania. National experts investigated the respective regulations and practices in place with desk research. The results show differences in national frameworks of inclusion into health care provision and knowledge on the number of people experiencing homelessness, but high similarity when it comes to main actors of actual health care provision for homeless populations. In all included countries, despite their differences in economic investments and universality of access to public health systems, it is mainly NGOs providing health care to those experiencing homelessness. This phenomenon fits into conceptual frameworks developed around service provision for vulnerable population groups, wherein it has been described as "structural compensation," meaning that NGOs compensate a structural inappropriateness that can be observed within public health systems.

Education, immigration and rising mental health inequality in Sweden.

Educational and income gradients in health are well established in the literature but there is need for a better understanding of how mental health inequalities change over time, and what drives the development. We aim to study how psychiatric diagnosis and its income-related inequality have changed over time in Sweden and to make a first attempt at disentangling the development by decomposing any changes in terms of changes in two important demographic characteristics: education and migration background. We use administrative patient data to study psychiatric inpatient diagnosis in the years 1994 and 2011. The study population comprises all individuals aged 31-64 years living in Sweden. Income-related inequalities are measured by the Concentration Index (CI). We decompose changes in the probability of receiving a diagnosis and changes in income-related inequality over time to understand the role of changing demographics. Our results show that over the study period the probability of receiving a psychiatric inpatient diagnosis increased by 12.6%, while the relative and absolute income-related inequalities in diagnosis increased by 48.2% and 66.7% respectively. In 2011, more than half of psychiatric inpatients were found among the poorest fifth of the population. The decomposition results suggest that changes in education and migration background have not played a substantial role in determining these increases. Education levels increased substantially over the study period which would be expected to protect against mental ill-health. Instead, we find that diagnoses have become more concentrated amongst the lowest educated individuals and the lowest income families, groups who appear to be increasingly disadvantaged. The growing proportion of individuals with foreign background in Sweden does, in fact, predict small increases in the probability of diagnosis, while the impact on diagnosis inequality varies depending on the definition of foreign background.