Population ageing alongside health care spending growth
The Silver Tsunami or population ageing has become a globally widespread phenomenon. The purpose of this review is to observe its dynamics and consequences from a local Balkan perspective. The main drivers of this unique demographic evolution are extended longevity, improved early childhood survival...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Serbian Medical Society
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Srpski Arhiv za Celokupno Lekarstvo |
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| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0370-8179/2017/0370-81791700113J.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818665884154068992 |
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| author | Jakovljević Mihajlo |
| author_facet | Jakovljević Mihajlo |
| author_sort | Jakovljević Mihajlo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Silver Tsunami or population ageing has become a globally widespread phenomenon. The purpose of this review is to observe its dynamics and consequences from a local Balkan perspective. The main drivers of this unique demographic evolution are extended longevity, improved early childhood survival, absorption of women into the labor markets, and consequences of sexual revolution leading to falling female fertility. This process lasting well over a century is taking its toll on contemporary societies. Major side effects are shrinking young labor force and growing pool of elderly and retired citizens in many countries. This equation tends to worsen further in the future threatening long-term financial sustainability of public social and health insurance funds. Notable health expenditure growth, accelerating worldwide since the 1960s, is to a large degree attributable to ageing itself. Growing share of senior citizens increases demand for medical services and costs of health care provision. Home-based care provided by the family caregivers presents another important reality putting a huge burden on modern communities. Serbs are no exception in this landscape. Historical demographic evolution of this nation gives a clear evidence of advanced and accelerated ageing, which is well documented in post-World War II era. This synthesis of rich published evidence shows clear upward parallel trend between the pace of population aging and the growth of health expenditure. National authorities shall be forced to consider reform of the current health care financing pattern inherited from the demographic growth era. This might be the only way to smooth out the impact of population ageing on the financial sustainability of the health system and long-term medical care in Serbia. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological
Development, Grant no. OI 175014] |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:55:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d35d43662f94652884e936d95a1200e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0370-8179 2406-0895 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:55:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | Serbian Medical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Srpski Arhiv za Celokupno Lekarstvo |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d35d43662f94652884e936d95a1200e2022-12-21T22:01:02ZengSerbian Medical SocietySrpski Arhiv za Celokupno Lekarstvo0370-81792406-08952017-01-011459-1053453910.2298/SARH160906113J0370-81791700113JPopulation ageing alongside health care spending growthJakovljević Mihajlo0Health Economics & Pharmacoeconomics, The Faculty of Medical Sciences, Kragujevac + Academy of Medical Sciences, Serbian Medical Society, BelgradeThe Silver Tsunami or population ageing has become a globally widespread phenomenon. The purpose of this review is to observe its dynamics and consequences from a local Balkan perspective. The main drivers of this unique demographic evolution are extended longevity, improved early childhood survival, absorption of women into the labor markets, and consequences of sexual revolution leading to falling female fertility. This process lasting well over a century is taking its toll on contemporary societies. Major side effects are shrinking young labor force and growing pool of elderly and retired citizens in many countries. This equation tends to worsen further in the future threatening long-term financial sustainability of public social and health insurance funds. Notable health expenditure growth, accelerating worldwide since the 1960s, is to a large degree attributable to ageing itself. Growing share of senior citizens increases demand for medical services and costs of health care provision. Home-based care provided by the family caregivers presents another important reality putting a huge burden on modern communities. Serbs are no exception in this landscape. Historical demographic evolution of this nation gives a clear evidence of advanced and accelerated ageing, which is well documented in post-World War II era. This synthesis of rich published evidence shows clear upward parallel trend between the pace of population aging and the growth of health expenditure. National authorities shall be forced to consider reform of the current health care financing pattern inherited from the demographic growth era. This might be the only way to smooth out the impact of population ageing on the financial sustainability of the health system and long-term medical care in Serbia. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. OI 175014]http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0370-8179/2017/0370-81791700113J.pdfPopulationAgeingHealth ExpenditureTrendSerbiaAged |
| spellingShingle | Jakovljević Mihajlo Population ageing alongside health care spending growth Srpski Arhiv za Celokupno Lekarstvo Population Ageing Health Expenditure Trend Serbia Aged |
| title | Population ageing alongside health care spending growth |
| title_full | Population ageing alongside health care spending growth |
| title_fullStr | Population ageing alongside health care spending growth |
| title_full_unstemmed | Population ageing alongside health care spending growth |
| title_short | Population ageing alongside health care spending growth |
| title_sort | population ageing alongside health care spending growth |
| topic | Population Ageing Health Expenditure Trend Serbia Aged |
| url | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0370-8179/2017/0370-81791700113J.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jakovljevicmihajlo populationageingalongsidehealthcarespendinggrowth |