The Frequency and Predictive Factors of Change in Alcohol Consumption during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results from a Multi-Country Longitudinal Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had multiple health and behavioral effects in the general population worldwide, including effects on nutritional and lifestyle behavior such as alcohol consumption. This study aimed to determine the frequency of and predictors for change in alcohol consumption two years after onset of the COVID-19 pandemic among participants from the general population of six countries.

Methods: Longitudinal study design with 4999 participants (47% male; aged 18-75 years) from a general population cohort from six countries: Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (US).

The relationship between healthcare access and change in health-related quality-of-life among the general population of five countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: To determine whether (1) healthcare access at onset of the pandemic and (2) age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and pre-existing health status were associated with change in health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study includes a general population sample of five countries.

Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to respondents from Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic between April 22nd and May 5th of 2020, and 1 year later between May 23rd and June 29th of 2021.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Mental Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Five Countries: A One-Year Longitudinal Study.

This study aimed to investigate socioeconomic and health-related determinants and recent life events and their relation to changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental well-being during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A web-based survey was administered repeatedly to participants from Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Primary outcome measures were HRQoL (measured by EQ-5D-5L) and mental well-being (measured by WHO-5).

Health-related quality of life and mental well-being of healthy and diseased persons in 8 countries: Does stringency of government response against early COVID-19 matter?

Objectives: Our study aimed to (1) assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental well-being of healthy and diseased persons in the general population during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) examine the relationship between HRQoL and mental well-being and individual characteristics and government response against COVID-19, as measured by the stringency index.

Methods: A web-based survey was administered to a cohort of persons from the general population of eight countries: Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (US) from April 22 to May 5 and May 26 to June 1, 2020. Country-level stringency indices were adopted from the COVID-19 Government Response Tracker.

Income-related health inequalities among the migrant and native-born populations in Greece during the economic crisis: a decomposition analysis.

Background: The economic crisis has induced detrimental socio-economic and health effects in Greece. This study aims to measure overall income-related health inequalities and examine their determinants, and to compare the respective within estimates for major subpopulations defined by citizenship (Greece, Albania, other countries) in Greece.

Methods: Data for 1332 cases were collected from a cross-sectional observational survey (MIGHEAL) conducted at a national level in 2016.

Drug Policy in Greece.

Objectives: To provide a detailed overview of the recent reforms in pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement processes as well as in other important areas of the pharmaceutical policy in Greece.

Methods: Information was collected via a structured questionnaire. The study used publicly available resources, such as publications, relevant legislation, and statistical data, while health experts were also consulted.

Financial protection of households against health shocks in Greece during the economic crisis.

Background: Harsh funding cutbacks along with measures shifting cost to patients have been implemented in the Greek health system in recent years. Our objective was to investigate the evolution of financial protection of Greek households against out-of-pocket payments (OOPP) during the economic crisis.

Methods: National representative data of 33,091 households were derived from the Household Budget Surveys for the period 2008-2015.

Validation and comparison of the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L instruments in Greece.

Purpose: To validate and compare the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-3L with the EQ-5D-5L classification systems in Greece.

Methods: Participants (n = 2279) over 40 years old, sampled from the greater area of Athens using a multistage stratified quota sampling method, completed both EQ-5D versions, while information was also collected on socio-demographics and health-related characteristics. The EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L were evaluated in terms of agreement, ceiling effects, redistribution and inconsistency, informativity, and convergent and known-groups validity.

Methodological issues in the quantitative assessment of quality of life.

The term quality of life can be identified in Aristotle's classical writings of 330 BC. In his Nichomachian ethics he recognises the multiple relationships between happiness, well-being, "eudemonia" and quality of life. Historically the concept of quality of life has undergone various interpretations.

Valuation and preliminary validation of the Greek 15D in a sample of patients with coronary artery disease.

Objective: To replicate, using the Greek version of the 15D instrument, the three-stage valuation procedure, using a sample of coronary artery disease patients; to assess on a preliminary basis the psychometric properties of the instrument in the Greek health-care environment; to evaluate the health-related quality of life of patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods: The generic instrument 15D was translated and culturally adapted into the Greek language and setting. It was then administered during October 2005 to May 2006 to 420 coronary artery disease patients.