Technical efficiency of ghanaian health facilities before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: Understanding the technical efficiency of health facilities is essential for an optimal allocation of scarce resources to primary health sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic may have further undermined levels of efficiency in low-resource settings. This study takes advantage of 2019 and 2020 data on characteristics of health facilities, health services inputs and output to examine the levels and changes in efficiency of Ghanaian health facilities.

Health seeking behaviours and private sector delivery of care for non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

Background: Globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity placing a huge burden on individuals, families and health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This rising disease burden calls for policy responses that engage the entire health care system. This study aims to synthesize evidence on how people with NCDs choose their healthcare providers in LMICs, and the outcomes of these choices, with a focus on private sector delivery.

Health seeking behaviours and private sector delivery of care for non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has increased substantially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and adapting health service delivery models to address this remains a challenge. Many patients with NCD seek private care at different points in their encounters with the health system, but the determinants and outcomes of these choices are insufficiently understood. The proposed systematic review will help inform the governance of mixed health systems towards achieving the goal of universal health coverage.

How should ICU beds be allocated during a crisis? Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed healthcare systems in many countries, and the rapid spread of the virus and the acute course of the disease resulted in a shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds. We studied preferences of the public in the Netherlands regarding the allocation of ICU beds during a health crisis.

Methods: We distributed a cross-sectional online survey at the end of March 2020 to a representative sample of the adult population in the Netherlands.

Viewpoints among experts and the public in the Netherlands on including a lifestyle criterion in the healthcare priority setting.

Context: It remains unclear whether there would be societal support for a lifestyle criterion for the healthcare priority setting. This study examines the viewpoints of experts in healthcare and the public regarding support for a lifestyle-related decision criterion, relative to support for the currently applied criteria, in the healthcare priority setting in the Netherlands.

Methods: We conducted a Q methodology study in samples of experts in healthcare (n = 37) and the public (n = 44).

Socioeconomic inequalities in lifestyle risk factors across low- and middle-income countries.

Background: The heavy and ever rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) warrants interventions to reduce their underlying risk factors, which are often linked to lifestyles. To effectively supplement nationwide policies with targeted interventions, it is important to know how these risk factors are distributed across socioeconomic segments of populations in LMICs. This study quantifies the prevalence and socioeconomic inequalities in lifestyle risk factors in LMICs, to identify policy priorities conducive to the Sustainable Development Goal of a one third reduction in deaths from NCDs by 2030.

Mixed evidence for the compression of morbidity hypothesis for smoking elimination-a systematic literature review.

Background: There is debate around the composition of life years gained from smoking elimination. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to synthesize existing evidence on the effect of smoking status on health expectancy and to examine whether smoking elimination leads to compression of morbidity.

Methods: Five databases were systematically searched for peer-reviewed articles.

Correction to: How do combinations of unhealthy behaviors relate to attitudinal factors and subjective health among the adult population in the Netherlands?

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

The Healthy Aging Index analyzed over 15 years in the general population: The Doetinchem Cohort Study.

The Healthy Aging Index (HAI), an index of physiological aging, has been demonstrated to predicts mortality, morbidity and disability. We studied the longitudinal development of the HAI to identify aging trajectories and evaluated the role of baseline sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors of the trajectories. Four measurements with intervals of 5 years were included from the Doetinchem Cohort Study.

How do combinations of unhealthy behaviors relate to attitudinal factors and subjective health among the adult population in the Netherlands?

Background: Health behaviours like smoking, nutrition, alcohol consumption and physical activity (SNAP) are often studied separately, while combinations can be particularly harmful. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of lifestyle choices by studying the prevalence of (combinations of) unhealthy SNAP behaviours in relation to attitudinal factors (time orientation, risk attitude) and subjective health (self-rated health, life expectancy) among the adult Dutch population.

Methods: In total 1006 respondents, representative of the Dutch adult population (18-75 years) in terms of sex, age, and education, were drawn from a panel in 2016.