Public expenditure on health promotion and prevention interventions in Austria in 2016

Abstract

Abstract Issue/problem Government and social insurance-funded health promotion and prevention interventions in Austria are surveyed on an irregular basis. Comprehensive data on government expenditures, categorized according to financial providers and/or intervention types had not been published since 2012. Description of the problem In accordance with Austrias current federal target contract, the survey is intended to support the targeted use of funds in the fields of health promotion and prevention by providing timely and detailed information on public spending in these areas. Results In 2016, the public sector spent 2,441.3 million euros on health promotion and prevention, which corresponds to 280.6 euros per capita (of the Austrian population). Additionally, administrative bodies reported staff-related costs, which could not be monetarily assessed for all administrative levels. 70 per cent of the expenditure on health promotion and prevention incurred by public institutions in Austria went towards tertiary prevention. The shares for primary and secondary prevention are 13.5 and 13.2 per cent respectively, the remaining funds were spent on health promotion and capacity building (3.4 per cent). Lessons The collection and coordination effort is considerable for data reporters and study authors, still more frequent collection facilitates data reporting and quality. An overview of the data is still not available at the administrative level of the countries (Länder), this could contribute to informed decisions. Key messages Expenditures on health promotion and primary prevention show high growth rates for the period 2012-2016 (+21.3%) reflecting the continuing social importance that this topic has gained in recent years. An allocation of funds to the areas prioritized in the Austrian health promotion strategy 2013-2016 is evident for at least three topic areas.