La salute degli italiani prima e dopo la crisi economica (2005-2013): alcune evidenze empiriche sulle categorie sociali a maggior rischio di impatto

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between the recent economic crisis and the health of Italians, or more accurately describes the trends of some health indicators of the Italian population in association with socio-economic changes that have characterized Italy in recent years. In the first part of the article we examine the trends of some important indicators socio-economic aggregates and health (life expectancy and some mortality rates). In the second part we present some analysis on individual data (Istat – Survey on health status and use of health services). Our aim is to show the evolution of health conditions between 2005 and 2013 taking in account sociodemographic characteristics of different social categories. The results show that groups most affected by the crisis (with economic problems and unemployment) are substantially the same who show a worsening of the physical and psychological health. They are characterized by low level of schooling, they live in the southern and island Italian regions, and are more frequently male.