Review article
Impact of Digestive Diseases on Public Health
Marko Banić
Abstract
Croatia is faced with progressive ageing of
the population and, consequently, the depopulation phase.
This results in the unfavorable ratio of the categories of insurants,
with active insurants accounting for less than one third.
Digestive diseases belong to the group of ten leading causes
of death in Croatia: malignant neoplasms of colon, rectum and
anus (ranked 5 with 3.14%); chronic liver diseases, including
liver fi brosis and cirrhosis (ranked 7 with 2.52%), and malignant
gastric neoplasms (ranked 10 with 1.94%). In 2004, digestive
diseases accounted for 4.63% of total number of diagnosed diseases
and conditions in general/family medicine. On the other
hand, they were responsible for 9.3% of hospitalizations. The
total number of hospitalized patients with digestive diseases
and neoplasms showed an increasing trend that resulted in the
increased use of healthcare resources relating to diagnostics,
treatment and rehabilitation. Given an increasing impact of
digestive diseases on public health, there is a need for consensus
of professionals in primary health care, polyclinic care
and inpatient care. The purpose of this consensus is to achieve
responsibility for planning and performance of prevention
measures, early detection and effective treatment of digestive
diseases and neoplasms.
Keywords
public health; healthcare; morbidity; mortality; digestive diseases; prevention
Hrčak ID:
18833
URI
Publication date:
26.1.2006.
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