The effect of economic changes on health care and health in Chile

The existence of possible associations between the economy and health in Chile, 1974‐1992, is documented. The gross domestic product fell in 1975‐1976 and again in 1982‐1983; at both times, the public expenditure on health care followed those falls. In addition, the sources of financing public expenditure and the patterns of health expenditure changed during the decades under study. Several indicators of health care activity, and of health and nutrition status consistently suggest an impact which results from the economic difficulties. Staffing levels and pay factors apparently played a role as intervening variables. The differences between the two crises are discussed, and reveal that the organization and programmes of the public health system seem to have been seriously affected. At the same time, they may still have played an important role in protecting the people—particularly, mothers and small children—from further damage.