The negative effect of financial constraints on planning prevention activities: some evidence from the Italian experience

Annalisa Rosso; Corrado De Vito; Carolina Marzuillo; Azzurra Massimi; Elvira D'Andrea; Paolo Villari

doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckv087

The negative effect of financial constraints on planning prevention activities: some evidence from the Italian experience

Eur J Public Health. 2015 Dec;25(6):1117-9. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckv087. Epub 2015 May 9.

Authors

Annalisa Rosso¹, Corrado De Vito¹, Carolina Marzuillo¹, Azzurra Massimi¹, Elvira D'Andrea¹, Paolo Villari²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5-00185 Rome, Italy.
² Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5-00185 Rome, Italy paolo.villari@uniroma1.it.

Abstract

This study was aimed to assess the association between regional financial deficits and Recovery Plans and the quality of the 702 projects developed by the Italian Regions within the National Prevention Plan 2010-13. Multivariate analyses showed significant associations between Recovery Plans and low quality of projects, possibly due to weak regional public health capacities. Regions with Recovery Plans are likely to focus mainly on short-term issues with a high impact on health care costs, leaving few resources available for prevention. A different approach to financial deficit focused on long-term strategies, including those for health promotion and disease prevention, is needed.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Health Care Rationing / economics
Humans
Italy
Primary Prevention / economics*
Public Health / economics*
Quality of Health Care / economics