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IntroductionThe prevalence of obesity is growing continuously worldwide, even in Hungary. Since 1988, when the first professional wide-range evaluation was performed, only limited data were available. There were no reports of health care... more
IntroductionThe prevalence of obesity is growing continuously worldwide, even in Hungary. Since 1988, when the first professional wide-range evaluation was performed, only limited data were available. There were no reports of health care expenses related to obesity.MethodsAnthropometric parameters were measured, presence of metabolic diseases were questioned in primary&community care settings. Data were compared with previous data from 1988.Yearly data of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA) were collected, regarding finances of secondary care, hospital services and health insurance reimbursement for medications, based on selected morbidities linked to obesity.ResultsData of 0.55 percent of the population above 18 year were registered in all geographical regions of Hungary (43,287 persons; 17,901 males and 25,386 females), close to the proper national representativeness.The overall prevalence rate of overweight among men was 40%, while obesity 32%, by ...
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The Feel4Diabetes study is a type 2 diabetes prevention program that recruited 12,193 children [age: 8.20 (±1.01) years] and their parents from six European countries. The current work used pre-intervention data collected from 9576... more
The Feel4Diabetes study is a type 2 diabetes prevention program that recruited 12,193 children [age: 8.20 (±1.01) years] and their parents from six European countries. The current work used pre-intervention data collected from 9576 children–parents pairs, to develop a novel family obesity variable and to examine its associations with family sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. Family obesity, defined as the presence of obesity in at least two family members, had a prevalence of 6.6%. Countries under austerity measures (Greece and Spain) displayed higher prevalence (7.6%), compared to low-income (Bulgaria and Hungary: 7%) and high-income countries (Belgium and Finland: 4.5%). Family obesity odds were significantly lower when mothers (OR: 0.42 [95% CI: 0.32, 0.55]) or fathers (0.72 [95% CI: 0.57, 0.92]) had higher education, mothers were fully (0.67 [95% CI: 0.56, 0.81]) or partially employed (0.60 [95% CI: 0.45, 0.81]), families consumed breakfast more often (0.94 [95% CI:...
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BackgroundIndividuals from families at high‐risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are also at high risk for hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular disease. Studies identifying lifestyle patterns (LPs) combining dietary, physical... more
BackgroundIndividuals from families at high‐risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are also at high risk for hypertension (HTN) and cardiovascular disease. Studies identifying lifestyle patterns (LPs) combining dietary, physical activity or sedentary variables and examining their possible role with respect to developing blood pressure (BP) are limited. The present study aimed to examine the association of different LPs with BP levels in families at high risk for T2DM in Europe.MethodsIn total, 1844 adults (31.6% males) at high‐risk for T2DM across six European countries were included in this cross‐sectional study using data from the baseline assessment of the Feel4Diabetes Study. BP measurements and dietary and physical activity assessments were conducted, and screen times were surveyed. LPs were revealed with principal component analysis of various data regarding diet, physical activity, screen time and smoking.ResultsThree LPs were identified. LP3 (high consumption of sweet and ...
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Background: Preferences and wishes of patients is an important indicator of primary health care provision, although there are differences between national primary care systems. Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe and evaluate the... more
Background: Preferences and wishes of patients is an important indicator of primary health care provision, although there are differences between national primary care systems. Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe and evaluate the preferences and values of Hungarian primary care (PC) patients before accessing and to analyse their experiences after attending PC services. Methods: In the Hungarian arm of the European QUALICOPC Study, in 2013–2014, information was collected with questionnaires; the Patient Values contained 19 and the Patient Experiences had 41 multiple-choice questions. Findings: The questionnaires were filled by 2149 (840 men, 1309 women) using PC services, aged 49.1 (SD ± 16.7) years, 73% of them having chronic morbidities. Women preferred to be accompanied and rated their own health better. Patients in the lowest educational category and women visited their GPs more often, and they are consulted more frequently by other doctors as well. Men, older and secondary...
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To effectively tackle obesity, it is necessary to identify all specific socioeconomic factors which contribute to its development. We aimed to highlight the prevalence of adult overweight/obesity in European countries and investigate the... more
To effectively tackle obesity, it is necessary to identify all specific socioeconomic factors which contribute to its development. We aimed to highlight the prevalence of adult overweight/obesity in European countries and investigate the association of various socioeconomic factors and their accumulative effect on overweight/obesity status. Cross-sectional data from the Feel4Diabetes study for 24,562 adults residing in low socioeconomic areas were collected, representing Belgium, Finland, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Socioeconomic Burden Score (SEBS) was created, accounting for unemployment, financial insecurity, and education ≤ 12 years. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and logistic regression. In total, 19,063 adults with complete data were included (34.5% overweight and 15.8% obese). The highest overweight/obesity rates occurred in Greece (37.5%/17.8%) and Hungary (35.4%/19.7%). After adjusting for confounders, age of <45 years and female sex were inverse...
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Research Interests: Nutrition, Obesity, Medicine, Overweight, Odds ratio, and 3 moreOdds, Medical and Health Sciences, and Waist
A family meal is defined as a meal consumed together by the members of a family or by having ≥ 1 parent present during a meal. The frequency of family meals has been associated with healthier food intake patterns in both children and... more
A family meal is defined as a meal consumed together by the members of a family or by having ≥ 1 parent present during a meal. The frequency of family meals has been associated with healthier food intake patterns in both children and parents. This study aimed to investigate in families at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes across Europe the association (i) between family meals’ frequency and food consumption and diet quality among parents and (ii) between family meals’ frequency and children’s food consumption. Moreover, the study aimed to elucidate the mediating effect of parental diet quality on the association between family meals’ frequency and children’s food consumption. Food consumption frequency and anthropometric were collected cross-sectionally from a representative sample of 1964 families from the European Feel4Diabetes-study. Regression and mediation analyses were applied by gender of children. Positive and significant associations were found between the frequency ...
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The time of delay from the first symptoms experienced, to visiting a doctor and to the determination of the diagnosis may depend on several factors. One hundred and ten cancer patients were compared regarding gender, age, social status,... more
The time of delay from the first symptoms experienced, to visiting a doctor and to the determination of the diagnosis may depend on several factors. One hundred and ten cancer patients were compared regarding gender, age, social status, qualifications, economic status, participation in organized screening programs, regular attendance by family physicians and delay in the diagnostic procedures. According to the results, 67% of the patients visited the doctor only in case of symptoms occurring. After recognizing the first symptoms, 44% of the men and 53% of the women turned to the doctor within one month. The longest time of delay was observed in case of patients over 60 and some patients with university degree, while usually shorter periods were reported in case of patients with secondary education and in case of most patients with a university degree. Low income people were over-represented in all delay categories. Twenty-five percent of female and 33% of male patients with lung can...
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The Feel4Diabetes-study implemented a school- and community-based intervention to promote healthy lifestyle and prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in six European countries. The intervention included a special focus on families at... more
The Feel4Diabetes-study implemented a school- and community-based intervention to promote healthy lifestyle and prevent type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in six European countries. The intervention included a special focus on families at increased T2DM risk. The current study evaluates the intervention's cost-effectiveness. A Markov-type health economic model was developed to predict the incidence of T2DM and its complications. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (lifetime horizon, societal perspective) were calculated based on the overall intervention effect on health behaviour, and stratified for low- and high-risk families. Sensitivity analyses captured input parameters uncertainty. A budget impact analysis was performed. The increase in children's water consumption and physical activity led to a modest gain in quality adjusted life years (QALYs) at a low intervention cost and budget impact. Medical cost savings due to avoided illness could only be achieved on the very long-term (>30 years). The intervention in its entirety was cost-effective (more QALYs at a reasonable investment) in Belgium, Finland, Bulgaria, and Hungary, while being dominant (net savings and more QALYs) in Greece and Spain. Results were cost-effective for the low-risk families, who only received the school- and community-based intervention component. Results for the high-risk families were only cost-effective (with considerable uncertainty) in Greece and Spain, but not when the intervention would need to be repeated. The Feel4Diabetes-intervention is potentially cost-effective, especially in countries with a high overweight and obesity prevalence, at a limited budget impact. The incremental financial investments to reach and support high-risk families did not result in the hoped-for health benefits.
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BackgroundPast research has focused on the relationship between mothers' and children's eating habits, although little is known about fathers as potential agents. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between... more
BackgroundPast research has focused on the relationship between mothers' and children's eating habits, although little is known about fathers as potential agents. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between fathers' and children's fruit and vegetable (FV) intake in the context of fathers' education level and family income insecurity.MethodsCross‐sectional analysis using baseline data from the multicentre Feel4Diabetes Study were collected in 2016. Participants were parent‐dyads (fathers, n = 10,038) and school children (n = 12,041) from six European countries. Socio‐demographic and dietary data were collected using questionnaires. Associations were assessed applying the multinomial logistic regression model.ResultsOverall, European children have low FV intake, especially in Southern European countries (Greece, Spain and Hungary). Children with fathers consuming FV daily were more likely to consume fresh fruit (odds ratio [OR] = 2.75; 95% confi...
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Background Feel4Diabetes was a school and community based intervention aiming to promote healthy lifestyle and tackle obesity for the prevention of type 2 diabetes among families in 6 European countries. We conducted this literature... more
Background Feel4Diabetes was a school and community based intervention aiming to promote healthy lifestyle and tackle obesity for the prevention of type 2 diabetes among families in 6 European countries. We conducted this literature review in order to guide the development of evidence-based implementation of the Feel4Diabetes intervention. We focused on type 2 diabetes prevention strategies, including all the phases from risk identification to implementation and maintenance. Special focus was given to prevention among vulnerable groups and people under 45 years. Methods Scientific and grey literature published between January 2000 and January 2015 was searched for relevant studies using electronic databases. To present the literature review findings in a systematic way, we used the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. A complementary literature search from February 2015 to December 2018 was also conducted. Results The initial review inc...
Research Interests: Primary Care, Type 2 Diabetes, Medicine, Prevention, Cardiovascular Risk, and 14 morePsychological Intervention, Follow Up, Risk factors, Socioeconomic Status, Clinical Sciences, Families, Randomized Controlled Trial, Risk Factors, Guidance and Counseling Intervention Programs, Vulnerable, Lifestyle Intervention, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, wos, and Life style intervention
This study investigated barriers towards health behaviours (physical activity, limiting sedentary behaviour and healthy dietary habits) experienced by young European families living in vulnerable areas, from multiple perspectives... more
This study investigated barriers towards health behaviours (physical activity, limiting sedentary behaviour and healthy dietary habits) experienced by young European families living in vulnerable areas, from multiple perspectives (parents, teachers, local community workers). Focus groups were conducted in six European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Greece and Spain). In each country, three focus groups were conducted with parents, one with teachers and one with local community workers. Data were analysed using a deductive framework approach with a manifest content analysis using the software NVivo. The present study identified barriers on four levels (individual, interpersonal, organisational and macro level) of a socio-ecological model of health behaviour. From parents’ perspectives, both general barriers (e.g., financial limitations and lack of time) and country-specific barriers (e.g., organisational difficulties and inappropriate work environment) were identifie...
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BackgroundMost research on parenting and childhood obesity and obesity-related behaviours has focused on mothers while fathers have been underrepresented. Yet, recent literature has suggested that fathers uniquely influence their... more
BackgroundMost research on parenting and childhood obesity and obesity-related behaviours has focused on mothers while fathers have been underrepresented. Yet, recent literature has suggested that fathers uniquely influence their children’s lifestyle behaviours, and hence could also affect their weight status, but this has not yet been scientifically proven. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine whether the association between fathers’ weight status and their children’s weight status is mediated by fathers’ and children’s movement behaviours (i.e. physical activity (PA) and screen time (ST)).MethodsCross-sectional data of 899 European fathers and their children were analyzed. Fathers/male caregivers (mean age = 43.79 ± 5.92 years,mean BMI = 27.08 ± 3.95) completed a questionnaire assessing their own and their children’s (mean age = 8.19 ± 0.99 years, 50.90% boys,mean BMIzscore = 0.44 ± 1.07) movement behaviours. Body Mass Index (BMI, in kg/m2) was calculated based on self-...
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Background: This study aimed to investigate whether the relationship between psychosocial and perceived environmental factors and physical activity (PA) in adults at risk for type 2 diabetes is influenced by educational level. Methods:... more
Background: This study aimed to investigate whether the relationship between psychosocial and perceived environmental factors and physical activity (PA) in adults at risk for type 2 diabetes is influenced by educational level. Methods: Based on the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score questionnaire, this study selected 164 adults (Mage: 38 (5.34) y, 13.4% men) at type 2 diabetes risk from 11 low socioeconomic neighborhoods in Flanders (Belgium). Participants filled out questionnaires on psychosocial and perceived environmental factors and wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for 5 consecutive days. Statistical analyses were performed using analysis of covariance in SPSS. Results: Educational level significantly influenced the association between perception of body weight and light PA (P = .01) and total PA (P = .03) on weekend days. Educational level did not influence the associations between other psychosocial and perceived environmental factors (ie, perceived social influence; environmental, ti...
Research Interests: Psychology, Health Literacy, Science, Participation, Physical Activity, and 15 morePublic Health, Type 2 Diabetes, Medicine, Fatalism, Exercise and physical activity for health, Exercise, Barriers, Psychosocial, Socioeconomic Status, Determinants, Prevalence, Leisure time, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Medicine and Health Sciences, and wos
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Research Interests: Primary Care, General Practice, Communication, Decision Making, Primary Health Care, and 15 moreFamily Medicine, Health Policy, Family Practice, Medicine, Policy making, Humans, Needs Assessment, Biomedical Research, General, Europe, Clinical Competence, General Practitioners, Core Competency, Community Based Mental Health Services, and Community health services
Research Interests: Primary Care, General Practice, Communication, Decision Making, Primary Health Care, and 15 moreFamily Medicine, Health Policy, Family Practice, Medicine, Policy making, Humans, Needs Assessment, Biomedical Research, General, Europe, Clinical Competence, General Practitioners, Core Competency, Community Based Mental Health Services, and Community health services
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Research Interests: Primary Care, General Practice, Communication, Decision Making, Primary Health Care, and 15 moreFamily Medicine, Health Policy, Family Practice, Medicine, Problem Solving, Policy making, Humans, Needs Assessment, Biomedical Research, General, Europe, Clinical Competence, General Practitioners, Community Based Mental Health Services, and Community health services
Background: Previous research has revealed a clear relationship between weight gain of persons and their metabolic diseases developing later. These studies have covered only short periods lasting 4-8 years.Our goal was to collect... more
Background: Previous research has revealed a clear relationship between weight gain of persons and their metabolic diseases developing later. These studies have covered only short periods lasting 4-8 years.Our goal was to collect decades' old and often life-long anthropometric data and correlate the figures with the presence of hypertension and diabetes or both. Methods: A retrospective international study was planned and organized to compare self-recorded data of lifelong weight gain among 60-70-year-old patients, analyze their correlation with metabolic diseases they developed, with special attention to women's weight gain around pregnancy, delivery and menopause in primary care settings in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and the Ukraine. Results: Of the recruited 815 participants, 319 men and 496 women presented all the required data. Diabetics of both genders had the highest baseline weight at 20 years of age. The weight and BMI of the whole study population increased steadily until their seventies, but to a lesser extent after their fifties. Compared to the control group, changes over decades were the greatest among diabetics and also greater among patients with hypertension. Weight increase in the first decades (20-30-year-old men and 30-40-year-old women) was a significant risk factor for the development of diabetes (OR=1.044; p=0.002; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). Among patients with diabetes and hypertension, both diagnoses were set up earlier than among those with a single morbidity.Among females, weight increase around pregnancy and menopause correlated significantly with higher odds for the diagnoses of diabetes and/or hypertension, irrespective of the number of children. Conclusions: During their decade-long relationship with their patients, family physicians are expected to identify the higher weight gain of their patients, especially among younger generation and intervene, if necessary.
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Background Obesity could be considered as the main consequence of unhealthy nutrition, responsible for many pathological alterations in human. Obese patients usually need more health care services. The aim of the study was to estimate the... more
Background Obesity could be considered as the main consequence of unhealthy nutrition, responsible for many pathological alterations in human. Obese patients usually need more health care services. The aim of the study was to estimate the financial expenditures of health care provisions in Hungary, related to obesity and diabetes, as its main pathological consequence. Methods Data of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) were collected for 2013, regarding finances of secondary care, hospital services, reimbursement for medications and healing aids of diabetic patients together with selected morbidities linked to obesity, based on the codes of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and calculated their population prevalence on the population-attributable fraction (PAF). Results Financial data regarding diabetes care resulted in a 40,311 Million HUF (129 Million EUR) national fund expenses, beside a 7,173 Million HUF (23 Million EUR) contribution from patient...
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Many differences exist between the two genders, i.e., biological, sociological, and also behavioral, which often depend on age. The aim of this study was to find characteristic differences between nutritional habits of elderly men and... more
Many differences exist between the two genders, i.e., biological, sociological, and also behavioral, which often depend on age. The aim of this study was to find characteristic differences between nutritional habits of elderly men and women. 266 elderly people (109 men &amp;amp;gt;65 years, and 157 women &amp;amp;gt;60 years) were consecutively selected from primary care patients, in Budapest, Hungary. A self-managed questionnaire was filled in on lifestyle and eating habits, including a food frequency questionnaire. Medical check-up, registration of anthropometrical parameters, and laboratory tests were also performed. 53 subjects were also involved in a 3-day dietary recall. The meal frequency was increased during aging in both genders, especially in men. Lunch was preferred by most of the women as a principal meal, but one quarter of the men had a filling dinner instead of lunch. Alcoholic beverages were consumed more and frequently by men. The fluid intake was low, especially in women. Milk and diary products, fresh fruit, bread, biscuits, chocolate, coffee and vitamin supplements were consumed more frequently by women. Almost all types of meat, eggs, and vegetables were more preferred by men and their energy intake was also higher (9.75 vs. 8.78 MJ). In both genders, fat represented a higher ratio (39%) of energy intake than recommended. The increase of body weight from youth to elderly was greater in women (14.04 vs. 10.65 kg). Prices had a higher impact on food purchases by women. High energy intake over decades led to overweight in both genders (BMI &amp;amp;gt;27 kg/m(2)). It seemed that the eating habits and food choices of women were closer to healthy ones and recent recommendations, although due to metabolic reasons and to the lower energy expenditure, they gained more weight. The elderly are the target population on every level of medical care. Further evaluations are needed to determine the differences in nutrition and to promote better administration of drugs and to establish public health suggestions.
Research Interests: Health Promotion, Aging, Evaluation, Comparative Study, Humans, and 15 moreHungary, Elderly People, Female, Food Frequency Questionnaire, Energy Expenditure, Health Status, Aged, Food habits, Age Factors, Body Weight, Geriatric Assessment, Food Choice, High energy, Energy Intake, and Health services for the aged
European studies on quality of diabetes care in an unselected primary care diabetes population are scarce. To test the feasibility of the set-up and logistics of a cross-sectional EUropean study on Care and Complications in patients with... more
European studies on quality of diabetes care in an unselected primary care diabetes population are scarce. To test the feasibility of the set-up and logistics of a cross-sectional EUropean study on Care and Complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Primary Care (EUCCLID) in 12 European countries. One rural and one urban practice from each country participated. The central coordinating centre randomly selected five patients from each practice. Patient characteristics were assessed including medical history, anthropometric measures, quality indicators, UKPDS-risk engine, psychological and general well-being. We included 103 participants from 22 GPs in 11 countries. Central data and laboratory samples were successfully collected. Of the participants 54% were female, mean age was 66 years and mean duration of diabetes was 9.6 years. Besides, 18% were using insulin, 31% had a history of cardiovascular disease, mean HbA1c was 7.1% (range 6.6-8.0), mean systolic blood pressure was 133.7 mmHg (range 126.1-144.4) and mean total cholesterol was 4.9 mmol/l (range 4.0-6.2). A European study on care and complications in a random selection of people with T2DM is feasible. There are large differences in indicators of metabolic control and wellbeing between countries.
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Research Interests: Primary Care, General Practice, Communication, Decision Making, Primary Health Care, and 15 moreFamily Medicine, Health Policy, Family Practice, Problem Solving, Policy making, Quality Assurance, Humans, Needs Assessment, Biomedical Research, General, Europe, Clinical Competence, General Practitioners, Quality of health care, and Community health services
Many articles have been written about the deterioration of male sexual function, mainly in relation to metabolic diseases and aging. With younger men, unless they have a complaint, sexual issues are rarely discussed during medical... more
Many articles have been written about the deterioration of male sexual function, mainly in relation to metabolic diseases and aging. With younger men, unless they have a complaint, sexual issues are rarely discussed during medical consultations. No articles could be found about anthropometric parameters as factors potentially influencing sexual performance. The aim of this study was to find the anthropometric parameters with the closest correlation with sexual activity. Main outcome measures included self-reported weekly intercourses, age, body weight and height, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference. Data for 531 heterosexual men aged 20-54 years were collected in three andrological centers. Past and recent morbidity, medications, and some lifestyle elements were recorded; anthropometric parameters were measured; and andrological examination was performed. The average weekly number of intercourses was asked confidentially. The mean weekly coital frequency (±SD) was 2.55 ± ...
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Treatment and care of elderly patients with diabetes and hypertension means a hard task in primary care. Patients with these two components of metabolic syndrome are often overweight or obese. Although some parameters of metabolic... more
Treatment and care of elderly patients with diabetes and hypertension means a hard task in primary care. Patients with these two components of metabolic syndrome are often overweight or obese. Although some parameters of metabolic syndrome are usually measured in a medical setting, checking body weight is usually done by the patients. The aim of this study is to analyse the patients&#39; self-recorded data on weight and compare them according to hypertension and diabetes. Five hundred and forty people (225 men and 315 women) between 60 and 75 years of age were eventually selected in primary care settings. Retrospective self-recorded data on recent weights and every decade since the age of 20, as well as the decade prior to diagnosis were collected. The data of patients with and without diabetes and/or hypertension were compared. The current mean body weight was significantly higher in all groups than at the age of 20. Compared with the control group, hypertensive men and women were approximately of the same weight in their twenties and, also, recently, but they gained more weight in the 4th and 5th decades of their life. Diabetics started at higher weights. The greatest weight gain was observed as follows: between 20-30 years and 30-40 years in men and women, respectively, as well as between 50-60 years of age and in the last decade prior to diagnosis in both genders. Weight gain in the control group was steady at a lower rate. Weight gain between 20-40 years of age could be an important factor in the aetiology of diabetes. Stable or at least limited weight gain may be a preventive factor. Considering the limitations of the study, further and decades long epidemiological evaluations are suggested in a larger study population.
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Reporting liability of family physicians/general practitioners is the keystone for proper surveillance of infectious diseases. The aim of the study was to find out why some of the family physicians neglect to report infectious diseases to... more
Reporting liability of family physicians/general practitioners is the keystone for proper surveillance of infectious diseases. The aim of the study was to find out why some of the family physicians neglect to report infectious diseases to the health authorities and determine their motivation and attitude towards the infectious disease reporting system. Self-fill-in questionnaire was used to obtain data. Of the 228 family physicians who were called to participate in the study 116 family physicians sent back evaluable questionnaires. Descriptive statistic method was used to analyze the data and determine the reporting frequencies and ratios. Family physicians reported nearly 50% of all reported cases of infectious diseases. The main reason of underreporting was the lack of knowledge about the rules of the reporting system. According to most family physicians, an online based reporting system would be much more efficient instead of a paper based one. The authors conclude that education of family physicians would be mandatory in order to improve reporting of infectious diseases.
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The pandemic of obesity has a great impact on the health care system, and it accounts for an increasing ratio of health care expenses. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of overweight and obesity including both the... more
The pandemic of obesity has a great impact on the health care system, and it accounts for an increasing ratio of health care expenses. The aim of this study was to estimate the economic burden of overweight and obesity including both the health care budget and financial contribution of patients. Data of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund were analyzed in the financial year of 2012. Expenses related to inpatient (hospital) and outpatient services and sick-leave finances related to obesity, diabetes and hypertension were analyzed. The incidence of obesity was calculated as high as 80% in diabetics and 60% in patients with hypertension. According to this method of estimation, 207,000 million HUF (680 million EUR) was spent for treatment, which accounts for 11.6% of the total Hungarian health budget and corresponds to 0.73% of the gross domestic product. Additionally, at least 22,000 million HUF was paid by the patients as contribution to treatment. However, expenses related to overweight and obesity may be even higher considering a higher prevalence rate of overweight and obesity, and the occurrence of co-morbidities with higher costs (between 15% and 18% of the total health expenditure and at least 1% of the gross domestic product). The results confirm that obesity- and overweight-related expenses represent a significant proportion of health care expenditure.
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The health status and social circumstances of medical professionals have been studied worldwide. However, there are only a few published studies pertaining to these topics in the countries of the former Eastern block. The present paper... more
The health status and social circumstances of medical professionals have been studied worldwide. However, there are only a few published studies pertaining to these topics in the countries of the former Eastern block. The present paper aimed at charting the state of health, the medical career path and some sociological factors of Hungarian medical doctors who graduated in 1979. The results were analysed for differences between genders and professional specialty groups (primary, surgical, non-surgical, and diagnostic), respectively. Two-hundred and twenty-eight doctors who graduated in 1979 at Semmelweis Medical University in Budapest, Hungary, were asked to fill out a questionnaire on these topics. More men were in surgical professions, whereas a larger proportion of women became primary specialists. Women had to modify their specialty or place of work more often than men. The average number of children was 2.26 for men and 1.87 for women. The highest increases in body weight were registered in primary specialist men and non-surgical women. Hypertension and failure to attend regular screenings were more common in males and they were not always treated properly. Physical exercise, typically sports, were reduced after graduation, furthermore the preferred types of activity also changed after graduation. Female physicians considered regular exercise more important. Smokers were mainly amongst surgical specialist men and women working in primary care. Surgical professionals and women in non-surgical specialties consumed more alcoholic beverages. As patients, male physicians followed medical advice more faithfully. Doctors judged their own health status to be better than that of their patients. The knowledge of foreign languages was higher in men. Ten percent of physicians received a postgraduate degree in research.