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Accessing free quality health care services and premature death
Author(s) -
Habibzadeh Farrokh,
Yadollahie Mahboobeh,
Simi Ashraf,
Saeidimehr Saeid,
Nasihatkon AliAsghar,
Shamsollahi Mohammad Sadegh,
Javidi Hojjatollah,
Kucheki Maryam,
Hashemiasl Kourosh,
Jamali Heidarali,
Rafiei Mohammad,
Mahmoudi Hamidreza,
Kalantari Farhad,
Azadi Safdar,
Maleki Vahid,
Asnaashari Abbas,
Hosseinzadeh Mehrdad,
Sami Habibollah
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the international journal of health planning and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-1751
pISSN - 0749-6753
DOI - 10.1002/hpm.2720
Subject(s) - medicine , years of potential life lost , population , health care , cause of death , mortality rate , environmental health , demography , developed country , quality of life (healthcare) , disease , gerontology , life expectancy , nursing , surgery , pathology , sociology , economics , economic growth
Summary Background The type of health insurance may affect the likelihood of mortality of insured people. We conducted this study to determine if accessing free quality health care services could decrease the premature mortality of people in a developing country. Methods In a multicenter cross sectional study, “years‐life‐lost” (YLL) due to premature death was evaluated in 202 671 insured people residing in six large regions in Iran. The participants had access to free quality health care services. The number of insured people that died in the six regions during March 20, 2014, to March 20, 2015, as well as their sex, age, and cause of the death, were collected, and the YLL was calculated based on assumptions made in Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD2010). Results The crude mortality rate was 2.3 per 1000, significantly lower than the overall rate of 4.6 per 1000 people in general population of Iran. The average YLL was 47 years per 1000 persons, significantly lower than that in general population of Iran and many industrialized countries. The most common causes of death (and YLL) were cardiovascular diseases and malignancies. Conclusion Having access to free quality health care services is associated with a significant decrease in premature death.