The contribution of avoidable mortality to life expectancy differences and lifespan disparities in the European Union: a population-based study.

Background: Twenty years after the 2004 European Union (EU) enlargement, life expectancy differences between established (EMS) and new member states (NMS) remain large. Contributing to this gap are deaths that can be avoided through preventive services or adequate medical treatment. We estimate the impact of reducing avoidable mortality on life expectancy and lifespan disparities in the enlarged EU.

Evaluating neonatal mortality in Malta compared with other EU countries: Exploring the influence of congenital anomalies and maternal risk factors.

Background: Globally, 240,000 babies die in the neonatal period annually due to congenital anomalies (CA). Malta reports the highest neonatal mortality rate (NMR) among EU (European Union) Countries, constituting a public health concern.

Objectives: This study describes the contribution of CA to NMR in Malta, investigating possible associations with known maternal risk factors of maternal age, nationality, and education.

The state of health in the European Union (EU-27) in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

Background: The European Union (EU) faces many health-related challenges. Burden of diseases information and the resulting trends over time are essential for health planning. This paper reports estimates of disease burden in the EU and individual 27 EU countries in 2019, and compares them with those in 2010.

A competency framework on simulation modelling-supported decision-making for Master of Public Health graduates.

Background: Simulation models are increasingly important for supporting decision-making in public health. However, due to lack of training, many public health professionals remain unfamiliar with constructing simulation models and using their outputs for decision-making. This study contributes to filling this gap by developing a competency framework on simulation model-supported decision-making targeting Master of Public Health education.

District-Level Mortality Convergence in Reunified Germany: Long-Term Trends and Contextual Determinants.

The mortality gap between former East and West Germany decreased rapidly in the decade following the reunification of the country in 1990. However, because no previous study has estimated life expectancy (e0) over time for all German districts, the extent of mortality convergence across districts and its determinants are largely unknown. We used a novel relational Bayesian model to estimate district e0 in Germany during 1997-2016, examined mortality convergence using a novel convergence groups approach, and explored the role of selected district characteristics in the process.

The architecture of the European Union's pandemic preparedness and response policy framework.

Background: COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of preparedness and response systems when faced with a pandemic. The rapid spread of the disease throughout Europe raised questions about the capacity of the European Union (EU) and its Member States to combat serious cross-border threats to health. This article provides an overview of institutional arrangements for pandemic preparedness before the COVID-19 pandemic and outlines the changes proposed by the European Health Union (EHU) framework.

Digital Health Paradox: International Policy Perspectives to Address Increased Health Inequalities for People Living With Disabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the uptake of digital health worldwide and highlighted many benefits of these innovations. However, it also stressed the magnitude of inequalities regarding accessing digital health. Using a scoping review, this article explores the potential benefits of digital technologies for the global population, with particular reference to people living with disabilities, using the autism community as a case study.

The Short-Term Effects of European Integration on Mortality Convergence: A Case Study of European Union's 2004 Enlargement.

Unlabelled: Although European integration can be expected to result in mortality convergence (reduced mortality differences), a life expectancy divide persists in the European Union (EU) between the old Member States (OMS) in the west and the new Member States (NMS) in the east. Studies investigating the impact of European integration on mortality convergence are rare and did not consider regional differences. We examine the short-term effects of the 2004 enlargement on mortality convergence at the supranational, national, and subnational levels.

Inclusive education in the European Union: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of education policy for autism.

Children with special education needs (SEN), such as children with autism, benefit from being included in education along with typical peers. However, development and implementation of inclusive education (IE) is considered difficult. This paper identifies conditions that facilitate IE development for children with autism in the European Union and benchmarks to track IE policy development.

Autism and education-international policy in small EU states: policy mapping in Malta, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Slovenia.

Background: Special education provides an array of support that can advantageously meet special education needs (SEN) of children with autism. This report maps autism and SEN policies, and tension of international legislation in Malta, Cyprus, Luxembourg and Slovenia.

Methods: A policy path analysis was performed using a scoping review as fundamental methodological framework.

Mortality convergence in the enlarged European Union: a systematic literature review.

Background: The high mortality rates in the European Union (EU) Member States that acceded in 2004 sparked political interest in mortality convergence. Whether mortality is converging in the EU remains unclear. We reviewed the literature on mortality convergence in the post-2004 EU territory as a whole.

Investigation of sirtuin 1 polymorphisms in relation to the risk of colorectal cancer by molecular subtype.

Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a histone deacetylase, is involved in maintenance of genetic stability, inflammation, immune response, metabolism (energy-sensing molecule) and colorectal tumorigenesis. We investigated SIRT1's specific role in colorectal tumorigenesis by studying SIRT1 polymorphisms in relation to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk by microsatellite instability (MSI) and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) status. The Netherlands Cohort study (NLCS) was initiated in 1986 and includes 120,852 participants in a case-cohort design.

Comparability in Cross-National Health Research Using Insurance Claims Data: The Cases of Germany and The Netherlands.

Objective: Comparison is a key method in learning about what works in health and healthcare. We discuss the importance of comparability in cross-national health research using health insurance claims data, develop a framework to systematically asses these threats and apply it to the German (DaTraV) and Dutch (Vektis) national-level insurance claims datasets.

Methods: We propose a framework of threats to the comparability of health insurance claims databases, which includes three domains: (1) representation of populations compared, (2) data sources and data processing and (3) database contents and availability for research purposes.