Social Health Care Systems Research Articles

Silk fibroin-based biomaterials for cartilage/osteochondral repair.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease with a high disability rate. In addition, OA not only causes great physiological and psychological harm to patients, but also puts great pressure on the social healthcare system. Pathologically, the disintegration of cartilage and the lesions of subchondral bone are related to OA. Currently, tissue engineering, which is expected to overcome the defects of existing treatment methods, had a lot of research in the field of cartilage/osteochondral repair. Silk fibroin (SF), as a natural macromolecular material with good biocompatibility, unique mechanical properties, excellent processability and degradability, holds great potential in the field of tissue engineering. Nowadays, SF had been prepared into various materials to adapt to the demands of cartilage/osteochondral repair. SF-based biomaterials can also be functionally modified to enhance repair performance further. In this review, the preparation methods, types, structures, mechanical properties, and functional modifications of SF-based biomaterials used for cartilage/osteochondral repair are summarized and discussed. We hope that this review will provide a reference for the design and development of SF-based biomaterials in cartilage/osteochondral repair field.

Remedios: Coping with Mental Distress among Mexican Americans in the Rio Grande Valley

The Latino population continues to increase, with estimates of 60 million living in the United States. Of the Hispanic population, 19% live in poverty. This may be a problem because according to research, living in poverty affects people’s social networks and self-worth negatively and is strongly associated with psychological issues. This study examined the perceptions of practitioners of mental health treatment of Mexican Americans who were experiencing mental distress and were residing in the U.S.- Mexico border. Findings suggest clients self-diagnose and try medications (usually purchased in Mexico) that were recommended to them by family members and/or social networks. Additionally, the family and social network behave like their own health/mental health care network, a manifestation of the Mexican American value that one should take care of one’s own. Loved ones provide these suggestions or consejos to help those struggling with mental stress manage their mental health. Professional mental health care is usually the last resort, which clients consider only after other options have been exhausted. This study reveals a need to explore the so-called family and social network health care system within this culture.

Exploration of the primary needs of health care services for earthquake victims in the west of Iran.

Natural disasters always have significant effects on social infrastructures, living conditions, and health care systems. This study aims to explain the needs of victims in the west of Iran for primary health care services. This thematic content analysis and qualitative study was done from September 2020 to June 2021 in the west of Iran. Participants were selected using purposive sampling method. The data were extracted through semi-structured interviews with 17 earthquake victims and then examined through thematic content analysis. By analyzing and coding the data, the primary needs of victims post an earthquake in the west of Iran were classified into four main categories) health services, mental health, social health, and health management (and 14 subcategories. Regarding the primary needs (health services, mental health, social health, and health management), establishing a headquarters to meet the immediate and special health care needs seems to be required. It was recommended to create institutions for monitoring and supporting the health care needs at the level of the community and even policymaking, as well as guiding earthquake-stricken areas such as the eco-village.

Millimeter‐wave planar antennas for 5G‐based remote monitoring and treatment of COVID‐19 patients

AbstractSpreading of COVID‐19 intensely affected the social life, economics, and health care system globally. Remote treatment of COVID‐19 is required to prevent healthcare professionals from being infected and solve the shortage of health resources which is generated due to large number of COVID patients. Tele‐health services require low latency, high data rate connections between various sensors, and Internet of Things devices with reliable and uninterrupted networks, which can support massive number of devices. 5G‐based remote health care solutions are provided by various researchers to solve the aforementioned problems. Various technologies such as millimeter‐wave (mm‐wave), beamforming, and multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) are used to fulfill the requirements. mm‐Wave spectrum provides wide available bandwidth, high speed, low latency, and compact antenna size but range of communication is limited due to high link losses and environmental attenuation. High‐gain, narrow beam‐steerable radiation properties of antenna are required to mitigate these losses. This article first presents the design of 16 elements mm‐Wave beam‐steerable planar array for 5G‐based COVID‐19 tracking and health care management. The proposed antenna provides 1.83 GHz of bandwidth with gain of 19.3 dB and side‐lobe levels of less than −24 dB at 28.67 GHz. Narrow main beam having 0.9° beamwidth can be steered from −50° to +45° with less than 5 dB reduction in gain. MIMO configurations of the proposed antenna are also discussed. MIMO performance parameters are under acceptable limit. The proposed antenna is potential cost efficient solution for 5G‐based COVID‐19 tracking and treatment applications.

Aproximación al coste de enfermedades profesionales atendidas en siete hospitales en España

ObjectiveTo estimate the hospital cost of a sample of cases treated in seven hospitals of the National Health System in several Spanish cities. MethodStudy based on 78 cases of occupational disease recognized by the social security, and previously treated in hospitals in Badalona, Barcelona, Ferrol, Gijón, Girona, Madrid and Vigo between 2017 and 2019. ResultsThe healthcare activity generated by these hospitals to attend these processes involved a total cost of 282,927€. ConclusionsIt is urgent to improve the coordination between the two public health systems, the social security health care system and the National Health System.

Institutional ethnography - a primer.

This review introduces a qualitative methodology called institutional ethnography (IE) to healthcare professionals interested in studying complex social healthcare systems. We provide the historical context in which IE was developed, and explain the principles and terminology in IE for the novice researcher. Through the use of worked examples, the reader will be able to appreciate how IE can be used to approach research questions in the healthcare system that other methods would be unable to answer. We show how IE and qualitative research methods maintain quality and rigour in research findings. We hope to demonstrate to healthcare professionals and researchers that healthcare systems can be analysed as social organisations, and IE may be used to identify and understand how higher-level processes and policies affect day-to-day clinical work. This understanding may allow the formulation and implementation of actionable improvements to solve problems on the ground.

The proteomics analysis of the effects of Zhishi Rhubarb soup on ischaemic stroke

BackgroundStroke has always been a major threat worldwide but is most severe in China, with 2.5 million new stroke cases each year and 7.5 million stroke survivors, placing a heavy burden on the social and national health care systems. Zhishi Rhubarb Soup (ZRS) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used clinically for many years in China. To explore the potential mechanism of ZRS in the treatment of stroke, liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC–MS) was performed.MethodsIn this study, a quantitative proteomic method with LC–MS was used to analyse the proteomic differences between MACO samples treated with ZRS and those without ZRS treatment.ResultsLiquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis led to the identification of 35,006 peptides, with 5160.0 proteins identified and 4094.0 quantified. Significantly differentially expressed proteins were identified through data analysis, and the difference was found to be more than 1.2 times (P < 0.05). The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis provided a summary of the dysregulated protein expression in the biological process (BP), cell component (CC), and molecular function (MF) categories. Proteins related to brain repair, including BDNF, IL-10, IL-6, and TGF-β, were found to change significantly, partially demonstrating the effectiveness of ZRS to attenuate tissue injury.ConclusionIn this study, LC–MS/MS was performed to assess the effects of ZRS on differentially expressed proteins in rats with cerebral infarction. These promising results could help to improve the understanding of the effects of drugs on stroke.

Effective Treatment of Ph-Negative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia for Uninsured Hispanic Adolescents and Young Adults with a Low-Cost Outpatient Regimen

IntroductionPediatric inspired regimens can achieve good outcomes in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by delivering intense non-myelosuppressive chemotherapy and are considered standard. Experience with the implementation of these regimens outside of academic centers in high-income countries is limited. Furthermore, Mexican patients (with “hispanic ethnicity”) have increased risk for relapse and treatment related complications.ObjectivesPrimary objective: to determine 2-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS). Secondary objectives: to determine the impacts of treatment abandonment and measurable residual disease (MRD) on outcomes, and to compare treatment costs with a widely used standard regimen in the United States.Patients and MethodsConsecutive patients 16-45 years diagnosed with Ph-negative B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia after 2016 were included. The salient features of our modified-BFM regimen include the use mitoxantrone, E. coli L-asparaginase, without systemic cytarabine or high dose methotrexate designed to be delivered entirely in an outpatient basis for maximum affordability (Table 1), given that we treat an uninsured population that must cover their own treatment costs out of pocket. Genetic risk assessment was limited to BCR/ABL. Thereafter, relapse risk assessment was based exclusively on “next generation” flow cytometry measurable residual disease (MRD) after consolidation, with a planned allogeneic transplant for MRD-positive patients (≥0.001%). Treatment abandonment was defined as a missed ≥14-day period during intensive treatment or ≥1 month during maintenance. Statistical analysis was performed as intent-to-treat. Lastly, drugs included in our protocol were compared to those of CALGB 10403 with current local pricing in USD.ResultsNinety-one AYAs have been treated, 47 women and 44 men, with a median age of 21 years (range, 15-45), mostly with a good functional capacity and no comorbidities (ECOG≤2: 92.1%; HCT-Ci 0-1: 97.8%); 43.8% of patients had ≥30x10 9/L white blood cells at diagnosis and 31.7% had grade ≥1 obesity. Notable grade ≥3 adverse events during induction were infections/neutropenic fever (35.6%),hepatotoxicity (11%) and thrombosis/bleeding (8.1%) with 44.3% eventually requiring hospitalization. Induction related mortality was 11%. Only n=3 were refractory to induction and the remainder assessed achieved complete remission (n=63; 95.5%) with a median follow-up of 15 months (range, 0.9-50.1). N=29 received induction and consolidation entirely on an outpatient basis, ulterior hospitalizations during therapy were rare. Treatment abandonment was common (n=24; 26.4%) usually during induction (n=8; 32%) or consolidation (n=12; 48%) and mostly related to unaffordability. For the same reason, transfers to social security healthcare systems were also frequent (n=19; 20.9%). Most patients assessed were MRD negative (n=38; 74.5%) Early relapse incidence was 32.9%; 44.4% in MRD-positive and 27.5% in MRD-negative patients (p=0.43). OS at 24 months was 61.5% (95% CI 47-73%) and EFS 49.8% (95% CI 37-62%) with excellent outcomes for MRD-negative patients (Figure 1, Panels A and B). Treatment abandonment and MRD positivity were the only independent predictors of mortality in a multivariate analysis (HR 7.8 [95% CI 2.8-21.9] and HR 4.5 [95% CI 1.4-14], respectively). Lastly, the total cumulative price for medications included in our regimen was calculated at $16,750 vs. $36,061 USD in CALGB 10403, representing a cost reduction of 53.5%.ConclusionsThe treatment of Hispanic ALL patients with our regimen has shown promising outcomes at a reduced cost for patients. Genetic risk assessment, induction mortality, treatment abandonment and lack of access to novel therapies for MRD positive patients remain the main barriers for improving outcomes further. [Display omitted] DisclosuresGomez-De Leon: Novartis: Honoraria; ASH: Research Funding; Sanofi: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria. González López: JANSSEN: Honoraria; AMGEN: Honoraria. Gomez-Almaguer: Roche: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Bristol-Myers-Squibb: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.

Children: paying the price of Bolsonaro’s social policy reform in Brazil

The impact of social inequality on children has enormous implications for young people throughout their life journey by negatively impacting their health, well-being and life chances. Following the democratisation of Brazil, significant change resulted in improvements to the social welfare and health care systems, which had begun to address long-standing social and health problems. This article critically explores the implications of current retrograde right-wing populist political government policies for Brazilian children within the context of efforts to reduce income inequality and improve the life chances of children. While recognising the enormous challenges of poverty, racial discrimination, precarity and socio-economic conditions, social work has recognised that the enactment of the profession requires political engagement and action against all inequality in professional practice. The implications of retrogressive policy are explored, and the authors call upon the profession globally to recognise these structural socio-economic challenges and question whether social work can afford not to be engaged in seeking change.

Common good in the era of data-intensive healthcare

In recent years, scholars studying data-intensive healthcare have argued that data-driven technologies bind together new actors and goals as part of healthcare. By combining the expectation studies with justification theory, this article adopts a novel theoretical perspective to understand how these actors and goals are enroled in healthcare. Drawing on a case study of Apotti, a Finnish social services and healthcare information system renewal project, the article shows how new emerging health data assemblages stress the aims of producing the common good in public healthcare. The project is studied by analysing interviews of the project’s key actors and various documents produced in the project. The paper shows how, in the collective expectations, the new information system is justified by multiple understandings of the common good, which might be contradictory with each other. Along with the established goals of improving public healthcare operations, the new information system is expected to empower clients and patients, audit and manage personnel, promote national digital social and healthcare service markets, provide better data and tools for research, and promote Finnish research and business in international competition. These expectations are not all based on the settled understanding of the common good of public healthcare as promoting health; the common good is also defined in other terms such as improving research, promoting markets and business, and making Finland famous and a leading country in the digital social services and healthcare field. These goals and expectations are purposely ambiguous to be loose enough to gain attention and maintain it even when the promises are not met. The paper identifies the ambiguity and plurality of the common good as strategies of data-intensive healthcare and raises concerns of how this might shape public healthcare in the future. As the plural understandings of the common good might not support each other, the paper calls for further assessments of how this will affect public healthcare’s core objectives and for seeking solutions that carefully balance the goals of the current and evolving multi-stakeholder environment of data-intensive healthcare.

1450P Criteria for referral of cancer patients to palliative care in Indian hospitals: A modified Delphi consensus

Globally, referral of cancer patients for palliative care is often patchy and delayed. A recent review synthesized the barriers to timely engagement of the palliative care team: absence of dedicated palliative teams, stigma with referral, presuppositions of oncologists, lack of clarity in referral criteria, etc. Guidelines from international societies like NCCN, WHO, ESMO may not completely apply to the Indian setting due to social differences and heterogenous health care systems. Our aim was to understand the views of our oncologists and use that to develop local referral guidelines for palliative care.

Association between surgical wait time and hospital length of stay in primary total knee and hip arthroplasty.

AimsIn countries with social healthcare systems, such as Canada, patients may experience long wait times and a decline in their health status prior to their operation. The aim of this study is to explore the association between long preoperative wait times (WT) and acute hospital length of stay (LoS) for primary arthroplasty of the knee and hip.MethodsThe study population was obtained from the provincial Patient Access Registry Nova Scotia (PARNS) and the Canadian national hospital Discharge Access Database (DAD). We included primary total knee and hip arthroplasties (TKA, THA) between 2011 and 2017. Patients waiting longer than the recommended 180 days Canadian national standard were compared to patients waiting equal or less than the standard WT. The primary outcome measure was acute LoS postoperatively. Secondarily, patient demographics, comorbidities, and perioperative parameters were correlated with LoS with multivariate regression.ResultsA total of 11,833 TKAs and 6,627 THAs were included in the study. Mean WT for TKA was 348 days (1 to 3,605) with mean LoS of 3.6 days (1 to 98). Mean WT for THA was 267 days (1 to 2,015) with mean LoS of 4.0 days (1 to 143). There was a significant increase in mean LoS for TKA waiting longer than 180 days (2.5% (SE 1.1); p = 0.028). There was no significant association for THA. Age, sex, surgical year, admittance from home, rural residence, household income, hospital facility, the need for blood transfusion, and comorbidities were all found to influence LoS.ConclusionSurgical WT longer than 180 days resulted in increased acute LoS for primary TKA. Meeting a shorter WT target may be cost-saving in a social healthcare system by having shorter LoS.Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(8):679–684.

Evaluation of Healthcare Economics of OECD Countries: Multi-Objective Statistical Optimization Model

Healthcare systems comprise the most crucial factors affecting countries economically. In this study, the infrastructure and economic structure of healthcare systems belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries are discussed to evaluate the healthcare expenditures (HE) and healthcare expenditures per capita (pcHE) of OECD members. We have identified factors related to healthcare economics and analyzed the significance ratios of these factors to calculate the feasible values of the factors affecting the healthcare systems in the OECD members by statistical optimization analysis. Within the feasible values obtained by using a multi-objective optimization model (MOOM) because of statistical analysis, the HE of OECD countries was minimized, and an improvement of 29.13% was achieved. The second objective function aimed to maximize the pcHE that was estimated to be at least $5,282.37 for the OECD members. Consequently, in countries that do not have a social healthcare system, it is perceived that HE amounts are excessive. The fundamental reason for this situation represents the healthcare sector’s perception as a business in those countries.

Well-being among older persons with disabilities in Trinidad.

Given the expected increase in the proportion of older persons and evidence of poverty among persons with disabilities in general, well-being among older persons with disabilities is an important issue. Using Sen's capability approach, this article examines well-being among older persons with disabilities in Trinidad. A multiphase mixed-methods design with three phases was employed. In the initial exploratory phase, functionings which are things people value doing or being were identified via 11 interviews. These functionings were used in the subsequent phase to develop an instrument with both closed- and open-ended questions. The instrument was then administered in the third phase to measure well-being and to identify its hindering factors. Responses from 31 participants revealed moderate-to-severe deprivations among older persons with disabilities in Trinidad including for functionings related to food, healthcare, information and transportation. The integrated findings suggested changes to social care and healthcare systems to promote well-being among older persons with disabilities in Trinidad, as well as the need to develop community interactions and public services regarding transportation, supportive devices, and therapy.

Macro-contextual determinants of cancer screening participation and inequalities: A multilevel analysis of 29 European countries

BackgroundLittle attention has been devoted to the role of macro-level determinants in preventive health inequalities, particularly in cancer screening participation. Research has evidenced inequalities in cancer screening uptake yet has mainly focused on the screening programmes’ moderating role at the macro-level. To address this gap, this study examines how welfare provision and healthcare system features modify cancer screening uptake and inequalities across European countries. MethodsData from 99 715 (Pap smear) and 54 557 (mammography) women in 29 countries from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) 2014 wave and Swiss Health Interview Survey (SHIS) 2012 wave was analysed. We estimated multilevel logistic regression models, including cross-level interactions, to examine whether social protection expenditure in particular policy areas and healthcare system characteristics explained cross-country differences in Pap smear and mammography uptake and inequalities. ResultsMain findings revealed that GP gatekeeping systems were associated with reduced screening uptake likelihood in both Pap smear and mammography, and so were stronger primary care systems in Pap smear, while higher expenditures on old age and survivors were associated with increased mammography uptake. Cross-level interactions showed that in countries with higher expenditures on sickness/healthcare, disability, social exclusion and public health, and a higher number of GPs, educational inequalities in both Pap smear and mammography uptake were smaller, while higher out-of-pocket payments had the opposite effect of increasing inequalities. ConclusionsOverall, our results show that social protection policies and healthcare system features affect cancer screening participation. We conclude that institutional and policy arrangements interact with individuals’ (educational) resources and, through the (re)distribution of valued goods and resources at the macro level, these arrangements may contribute to enhancing preventive healthcare use and mitigating screening uptake inequalities.

Challenges and issues in the development of the human healthcare system

The social health care system is a single-stop solution for overseas patients seeking worldwide. Human is linked to globally certified healthcare companies, clinics, dental centers, and allows patients to access the best medical care. The significant challenges in developing the human healthcare system include efficiency, security, and sustainable medical devices linked to the Internet. A healthcare system usually includes different intelligent technologies from various disciplines. This manuscript proposed a Virtual reality-based Integrated delivery model (VRIDS) for the healthcare system to minimize the challenges. This paper uses Exclusive Provider Organizations’ methods, Point-of-Service methods, for developing the human health system. VRIDS provides a Higher quality of care with more efficiency in tracking the body’s movements to view the human’s inner body and allow an immersion sensation. Finally, results from various patients and doctors are highly recommended in these techniques to improve the human healthcare system and a cost-effective system and convenience to patients and doctors. The experimental results have been performed, and the suggested VRIDS model enhances the accuracy ratio of 97.8%, sensitivity ratio of 98.2%, decision-making level 96.5%, network performance ratio of 97.1%, and quality of service of 98.3% compared to other existing methods.

Culturally Competent Gender, Sex, and Sexual Orientation Information Practices and Electronic Health Records: Rapid Review.

BackgroundOutdated gender, sex, and sexual orientation (GSSO) information practices in health care contribute to health inequities for sexual and gender minorities (SGMs). Governments, statistics agencies, and health care organizations are developing and implementing modernized practices that support health equity for SGMs. Extending our work, we conducted a rapid review of grey literature to explore information practices that support quality health care for SGMs.ObjectiveThe aim of this rapid review of grey literature was to elucidate modern GSSO information practices from leading agencies for adaptation, adoption, and application by health care providers and organizations seeking to modernize outdated GSSO information practices that contribute to health inequities among SGMs.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE and Google from 2015 to 2020 with terms related to gender, sex, sexual orientation, and electronic health/medical records for English-language grey literature resources including government and nongovernment organization publications, whitepapers, data standards, toolkits, health care organization and health quality practice and policy guides, conference proceedings, unpublished academic work, and statistical papers. Peer-reviewed journal articles were excluded, as were resources irrelevant to information practices. We also screened the reference sections of included articles for additional resources, and canvassed a working group of international topic experts for additional relevant resources. Duplicates were eliminated. ATLAS.ti was used to support analysis. Themes and codes were developed through an iterative process of writing and discussion with the research team.ResultsTwenty-six grey literature resources met the inclusion criteria. The overarching themes that emerged from the literature were the interrelated behaviors, attitudes, and policies that constitute SGM cultural competence as follows: shared language with unambiguous definitions of GSSO concepts; welcoming and inclusive care environments and affirming practices to reduce barriers to access; health care policy that supports competent health care; and adoption of modernized GSSO information practices and electronic health record design requirements that address invisibility in health data.ConclusionsHealth equity for SGMs requires systemic change. Binary representation of sex and gender in electronic health records (EHRs) obfuscates natural and cultural diversity and, in the context of health care, places SGM patients at risk of clinical harm because it leads to clinical assumptions. Agencies and agents in health care need to be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to cultivate modern attitudes, policies, and practices that enable health equity for SGMs. Adopting small but important changes in the language and terminology used in technical and social health care systems is essential for institutionalizing SGM competency. Modern GSSO information practices depend on and reinforce SGM competency in health care.

Principles of formation of children's rehabilitation centers in Uzbekistan

The article analyzes the main requirements for the formation of centers for social protection of the population in our country and the design of a favorable environment for them. Strategy to improve the social protection and health care system; education and science; gives priority to the development of state youth policy.Children are central to Uzbekistan's overall development agenda, and the national development strategy lays the foundation for comprehensive and meaningful social reforms that are essential to the realization, protection and promotion of children's rights. All necessary conditions have been created to ensure a healthy and dignified life of our people, to protect motherhood and childhood, to raise a physically and spiritually healthy young generation, to expand the production of pharmaceutical products in our country.

Outbreak of COVID-19: A Detailed Overview and Its Consequences.

After the outbreak from Wuhan City of China, COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has become a pandemic worldwide in a very short span of time. The high transmission rate and pathogenicity of this virus have made COVID-19 a major public health concern globally. Basically, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 is the third introduction of a highly infectious human epidemic coronavirus in the twenty-first century. Various research groups have claimed bats to be the natural host of SARS-CoV-2. However, the intermediate host and mode of transmission from bat to humans are not revealed yet. The COVID-19 cost hundreds and thousands of lives and millions are facing the consequences. The objective of this chapter was to analyze the outbreak of COVID-19 and problems faced globally. All published relevant literature from scientific sources and reputed news channels are considered to write the current review. Generally, elder persons and more particularly people with underlying medical conditions are found to be highly vulnerable to severe infection and prone to fatal outcomes. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment with clinically approved drugs or vaccines to treat this disease. Several research groups have been investigating the efficacies of several antiviral and repurposed drugs. Currently, most of the SARS-COV-2 vaccines are at the preclinical or clinical stage of development. The latest research progress on the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and current status of therapeutic intervention indicates that still a specific drug or vaccine needs to come up for the effective treatment of the pandemic COVID-19. It is observed that various aspects of social life, economic status, and healthcare systems are majorly affected by this pandemic. It is concluded that the outbreak of COVID-19 has severely affected each and every field, such as social, scientific, industrial, transport, and medical sectors. Irrespective of tremendous efforts globally, few vaccines are now available for the prevention of the disease. Specific drug is not available publicly for the treatment of COVID-19. Prevention of air pollution that can aggravate COVID-19 has been suggested. Therefore, as of now, social distancing and sanitization practices are the only options available for the prevention of the disease for many.

Impacts of an Ageing Population on Social Systems – Selected Issues

Population ageing impacts on all social systems. The aim of this paper is to characterise the impacts of an ageing population on the social services and healthcare systems in the Czech Republic. These are the systems that will be most affected by the growing number of people of post-productive age. For social services, an estimate of the evolution of the number of beneficiaries of care allowance up to 2030 was drawn up on the basis of an analysis of the evolution in the number of beneficiaries of this social benefit by sex, age and degree of dependency in the years 2007 to 2016; for healthcare, an estimate of health insurance companies’ expected expenditure on healthcare was drawn up on the basis of an analysis of the evolution of spending on healthcare by health insurance companies, broken down by clients’ sex and age. The calculations clearly show that both these systems are unprepared for tackling the consequences of population ageing, so the search should begin now for new solutions that would help ensure that both social services and healthcare continue to be provided to clients to the existing standard in the coming period.