Estonian Human Development Report
Estonian Human Development Report - Eesti Koostöö Kogu
Estonian Human Development Report - Eesti Koostöö Kogu
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CHAPTER 2<br />
Health and quality of life<br />
2.1. Introduction<br />
Health is one of the fundamental human rights and<br />
important to anyone’s development and well-being. The<br />
importance of health has been stressed in many agreements<br />
and charters, including the 2008 Tallinn Charter:<br />
“All the Member States of WHO in the European Region<br />
share the common value of the highest attainable standard<br />
of health as a fundamental human right; as such, each<br />
country shall strive to enhance the performance of its<br />
health systems 6 to achieve the goal of improved health on<br />
an equitable basis, ...” (Tallinn Charter 2008). The health<br />
ministers of the European Union have also emphasized<br />
the importance and central role of health systems in providing<br />
the residents of member states with a feeling of<br />
safety and increasing social cohesion and social justice,<br />
thereby promoting sustainable development. The health<br />
systems are characterized by generally recognized European<br />
values, such as universality, accessibility of quality<br />
services, fairness, and solidarity (EU common principles<br />
2006).<br />
The connection between health and wealth is complicated<br />
and has been the subject of much research. While<br />
better health facilitates the growth of wealth at the level of<br />
the individual and society, wealth is also a factor in attaining<br />
better health. The connection is reciprocal, as a bad<br />
state of health affects people’s affluence, and poverty, in<br />
turn, does not allow them to attain their full potential for<br />
health. Empirical studies confirm that the good state of<br />
health of a country’s population is not only a natural byproduct<br />
of economic growth, but that the health of the population<br />
also influences economic development, competitiveness<br />
and productivity (CMS, 2001, Suhrcke M, 2007).<br />
This is also reflected in the recent agreement: “Beyond its<br />
intrinsic value, improved health contributes to social wellbeing<br />
through its impact on economic development, competitiveness<br />
and productivity. High-performing health<br />
systems contribute to economic development and wealth.”<br />
(WHO, 2008).<br />
This fact has a significant implication on policy making:<br />
health investments should be seriously considered<br />
with regard to promoting national economic development<br />
as they can have an influence on the achievement of countries’<br />
economic policy goals. In other words, health and<br />
wealth amplify each other; well-functioning health systems<br />
contribute to both health and wealth, which, in turn,<br />
increase social well-being (J Figueras, 2008).<br />
On the basis of the information provided above, we<br />
can draw the conclusion that a significant connection<br />
exists between the state of health of a country’s population<br />
and its society’s potential for development. The<br />
necessity for increased health investments was also recognized<br />
by the European Commission in 2004, who<br />
issued a statement that health is a prerequisite for economic<br />
welfare as it leads to a longer, better and more productive<br />
life (European Commission & Parliament 2004).<br />
In the Tallinn Charter signed by the ministers of Member<br />
States of the WHO European Region in June 2008,<br />
the political leaders of European countries recognize,<br />
for the first time, the impact of well-functioning health<br />
systems on both the improvement of people’s health as<br />
well as economic growth. The leaders gathered in Tallinn<br />
were convinced that by investing in health, we also invest<br />
in human development, social well-being and prosperity<br />
(WHO, 2008).<br />
In general, the state of health of <strong>Estonian</strong> residents<br />
has improved in recent years. In 1990–2007 the average<br />
life expectancy of men increased by nearly three years<br />
and women’s life expectancy grew by nearly four years<br />
(Statistics Estonia 2008). Since this period also comprises<br />
years when the state of health of <strong>Estonian</strong> residents<br />
deteriorated rapidly, it is worth mentioning that<br />
the fast increase in life expectancy has taken place in<br />
the 21 st century. Compared to most European countries,<br />
however, Estonia is still lagging behind significantly in<br />
terms of the aggregate indicators reflecting the population’s<br />
state of health. Furthermore, the increase in average<br />
life expectancy in Estonia remains faster in the case<br />
of women, resulting in a situation where the average life<br />
expectancy of men was 11 years shorter in 2006 than that<br />
of women. Young people in Estonia are generally healthier<br />
now than ever before. Mortality rates indicate that<br />
children and young people aged up to 20, but especially<br />
children aged 0–5 have enjoyed a stable decrease in mortality<br />
for several decades, contrary to the working population.<br />
However, there are several causes for concern,<br />
including, for example, increasing mental stress, smoking<br />
at an early age, the tendency to abuse alcohol, insufficient<br />
physical activity, the spread of dangerous infectious<br />
diseases (primarily HIV and venereal diseases), and injuries<br />
and poisonings (HBSC 2005/2006).<br />
The following section provides a more detailed analysis<br />
of various indicators related to the health of Estonia’s<br />
population and our healthcare administration, with the<br />
aim of arriving at a better understanding of our development<br />
potential.<br />
6<br />
According to the definition provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), health services are a set of all public and private<br />
organizations, institutions and resources devoted primarily to improving, maintaining and restoring health. Health systems include<br />
services aimed both at private individuals and the public, as well as activities for influencing the policies and arrangements of other<br />
fields in order for the latter to take into account social, environmental and economic health factors (WHO 2008).<br />
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