Comparison of European countries’ health indicators and health expenditures by clustering analysis
Öz
The main purpose of health systems is to ensure citizens utilize the health services by adequately and effectively. As the quantity and the quality of health services are improved, health indicators such as quality of life and life expectancy at birth are also improved. Health indicators and health care expenditures allow policy makers to compare health systems and to monitor and evaluate the current situation of the health systems. The main reason behind the international comparison of health indicators and expenditures is to enable countries to benchmark successful health systems. In this context, the aim of this study was to compare health indicators and health expenditures of 28 European Union (EU) countries, 6 EU candidate countries and 3 European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries by cluster analysis method. As a result of the clustering analysis, the countries were grouped under 3 clusters. The public, private and out-of-pocket health expenditure per capita averages of the first cluster, which Turkey was included in, was the lowest among three clusters. It was determined that the cluster in which Turkey was placed falled behind other two clusters in terms of life expectancy at birth, number of physicians and nurses, maternal mortality rate, and smoking ratio health indicator averages.
Anahtar Kelimeler
Kaynakça
- Alptekin, N., & Yeşilaydın, G. (2015). OECD ülkelerinin sağlık göstergelerine göre bulanık kümeleme analizi ile sınıflandırılması. İşletme Araştırmaları Dergisi, 7(4), 137-155.
- Aronson, J. E., & Iyer L. S. (2013). Cluster Analysis. Boston: Springer.
- Boz, C., & Sur, H. (2016). Avrupa Birliği üyesi ve aday ülkelerin sağlık harcamaları açısından benzerlik ve farklılık analizi. Sosyal Güvence Dergisi, 9, 23-46.
- Çelebi, K. A., & Cura, S. (2013). Etkinlik göstergeleri açısından sağlık sistemleri: karşılaştırmalı bir analiz. Maliye Dergisi, 164, 47-67.
- Çelik, Ş. (2013). Kümeleme analizi ile sağlık göstergelerine göre Türkiye’deki illerin sınıflandırılması. Doğuş Üniversitesi Dergisi, 14(2), 175-194.
- Clatworthy, J., Buick, D., Hankins, M., Weinman, J., & Horne, R. (2005). The use and reporting of cluster analysis in health psychology: A review. British journal of health psychology, 10(3), 329-358.
- De Silva, A. (2000). A framework for measuring responsiveness. Geneva: World Health Organization.
- Dunn, H., Quinn, L., Corbridge, S. J., Eldeirawi, K., Kapella, M., & Collins, E. G. (2018). Cluster analysis in nursing research: an introduction, historical perspective, and future directions. Western journal of nursing research, 40(11), 1658-1676.
- EFTA (2018). Retrieved January 10, 2019 from the World Wide Web: http://www.efta.int/about-efta/the-efta-states
- Erkekoğlu, H. (2007). AB’ye tam üyelik sürecinde Türkiye’nin üye ülkeler karşısındaki göreli gelişme düzeyi: Çok değişkenli istatistiksel bir analiz. Kocaeli Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 14, 28-50.
