Depression Scorecard Greece
The Health Policy Partnership Abstract: The depression scorecard is a tool that aims to support the assessment of national-level performance in key aspects of policy, delivery and care for people with depression. The framework that underpins the scorecard was developed based on an international literature review and consultation with an expert advisory group. The scorecard framework has been applied to…
An Overview of Epigenetics in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Grammatikaki Stmatidi, Katifelis Hector, Farooqi Ammad Ahmad, Stravodimos Konstantinos, Karamouzis Michalis V., Souliotis Kyriakos, Varvaras Dimitrios & Gazouli Maria Abstract: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents a heterogenous group of cancers with complex genetic background and histological varieties, which require various clinical therapies. Clear cell RCC represents the most common form of RCC that accounts for 3 out of 4 RCC…
Disease Burden and Treatment Preferences Amongst Postmenopausal Women with Severe Osteoporosis in Greece
Kyriakos Souliotis, Christina Golna, Christina Poimenidou, Tatiana Drakopoulou, Memi Tsekoura, Damon Wilems, Vasileios Kountouris, Polyzois Makras Objective: The objectives of this study were to elicit self-reported health status, quantify osteoporosis-related burden, and understand preferences for treatment attributes among postmenopausal women with severe osteoporosis in Greece. Methods: Postmenopausal women with self-reported severe osteoporosis, defined as having suffered at least one osteoporotic…
Lung Cancer Screening in Greece: A Modelling Study to Estimate the Impact on Lung Cancer Life Years
Souliotis Kyriakos, Golna Christina, Golnas Pavlos, Markakis Ioannis-Anestis, Linardou Helena, Sifaki-Pistolla Dimitra & Hatziandreou Evi Background: Lung cancer causes a substantial epidemiological burden in Greece. Yet, no formal national lung cancer screening program has been introduced to date. This study modeled the impact on lung cancer life years (LCLY) of a hypothetical scenario of comprehensive screening for lung cancer with…
Access of People Living with HIV to Testing Services in Greece: A Challenge for Equity in Care
Souliotis Kyriakos, Tsiakalakis George, Golna Christina, Sifaki-Pistolla Dimitra, Dedes Nikos & Lazanas Marios Background: Access to laboratory testing services for HIV in Greece is persistently challenged and this impacts both the continuum of care and, potentially, equity in access. Methods: A cross-sectional study with two parts (first part: HIV-positive people/PLWHIV; second part: HIV clinicians) was conducted in Greece to quantify…
Editorial: Health care financing and affordability in the emerging global markets, Volume II
Jakovljevic Mihajlo, Groot Wim & Souliotis Kyriakos Abstract: Over the course or early decades of twenty-first century, global economic growth has been driven largely by developing world economies. Those characterized with strong and sustainable real GPD growth were characterized by the Brookings Institute, Goldman Sachs and leading multilateral agencies as “Emerging“ Markets led by so-called BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China,…
To screen or not to screen for osteoporosis amongst post-menopausal women with one prior osteoporotic fracture in Greece
Souliotis Kyriakos, Golna Christina, Golnas Pavlos, Markakis Ioannis-Anestis & Makras Polyzois Background: Screening and linkage to care (SLTC) for osteoporosis is suboptimal in several settings. In Greece, it is estimated that only up to 8.6% of postmenopausal women are SLTC for osteoporosis, despite having suffered a previous fracture. Aims: This study aims to estimate the impact of comprehensive screening on…
Treatment Adherence in Patients with Lung Cancer from Prospects of Patients and Physicians
Kyriakos Souliotis, Lily E Peppou, Marina Economou, Androniki Marioli, Sofia Nikolaidi, Maria Saridi, Dimitrios Varvaras, Antonia Paschali, Konstantinos N Syrigos Purpose: Adherence to treatment can be defined as the degree to which a patient’s behavior is consonant with medical or health advice he or she receive as part of his treatment regimen. The aim of this study was: 1) to…
Integrating a Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Into the National Health System of Cyprus: Will It Return on Its Investment?
Dimitra Kefallonitou, Irene Polycarpou, Kyriakos Souliotis, Konstantinos Giannakou A European Union (EU) member state, Cyprus is a country with a population of ∼850,000 citizens. According to the Cyprus Ministry of Health, since 2009, more than 3,000 new incidents with neoplasm are diagnosed every year (i.e., 3% increasing rate). Projections estimate an average annual increase of 2.2% of new incidents until…
Assessing forgetfulness and polypharmacy and their impact on health‑related quality of life among patients with hypertension and dyslipidemia in Greece during the COVID‑19 pandemic
Kyriakos Souliotis, Theodoros V. Giannouchos, Christina Golna, Evangelos Liberopoulos Purpose: We estimate the association between forgetfulness to take medications as prescribed and polypharmacy and healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) among a cohort of patients with hypertension, dyslipidemia or both in Greece during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A telephone survey of 1018 randomly selected adults was conducted in Greece in June…
Costs associated with COVID-19 in healthcare personnel in Greece: a cost-of-illness analysis
H.C. Maltezou, T.V. Giannouchos, A. Pavli, P. Tsonou, X. Dedoukou, M. Tseroni, K. Papadima, D. Hatzigeorgiou, N.V. Sipsas, K. Souliotis Background: Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at increased risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the aetiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Aim: To estimate the costs related to SARS-CoV-2 exposure and infection among HCP in Greece. Methods:…
Should vaccination be mandated? Individuals’ perceptions on mandatory vaccination in Greece
Theodoros V. Giannouchos, Evaggelia Steletou, Maria Saridi, Kyriakos Souliotis Objective: The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence individuals’ attitudes towards mandatory vaccination in Greece. Methods: A nationally representative cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted via a random multistage selection process in October 2019 in Greece. The survey was designed to obtain information about whether vaccination should be…
Mandatory vaccination support and intentions to get vaccinated for COVID-19: Results from a nationally representative general population survey in October 2020 in Greece
Theodoros V. Giannouchos, Evaggelia Steletou, Maria Saridi, Kyriakos Souliotis Purpose: To explore rates and factors associated with mandatory vaccination support overall and intentions to get vaccinated specifically for COVID-19 among individuals in Greece. Methods: Using data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey conducted in October 2020 among 855 adults (≥18 years) in Greece, we estimated support rates for mandatory vaccination…
Public Health Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece and Associated Factors: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey
Kyriakos Souliotis, Theodoros V. Giannouchos, Lily E Peppou, Myrto T. Samara, John Nimatoudis, Charalambos Papageorgiou, Marina Economou The objective of this cross-sectional survey was to estimate the association between multiple socioeconomic, and healthrelated characteristics, COVID-19 related attitudes and adoption of public health preventive behaviors. A national crosssectional survey among 1205 adults was conducted in April 2020 in Greece. Multivariable ordered…
Profile and factors associated with glycaemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes in Greece: results from the diabetes registry
Kyriakos Souliotis, Anastasios Koutsovasilis, Georgia Vatheia, Christina Golna, Sofia Nikolaidi, Erifili Hatziagelaki, Kalliopi Kotsa, Theocharis Koufakis, Andreas Melidonis, Athanasia Papazafiropoulou, Nikolaos Tentolouris, Evangelia Siami, Alexios Sotiropoulos Background: Strict glycaemic control early in the treatment process has been shown to reduce the occurrence of micro- and macro- vascular complications of diabetes in the long-term. Thus, treatment guidelines advise early intensification of…
The cost-saving switch from inhaled corticosteroid-containing treatments to dual bronchodilation: a two-country projection of epidemiological and economic burden in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Kyriakos Souliotis, Luís Silva Miguel, Georgios Hillas, Margarida Borges, Giannis Papageorgiou, Diogo Viana, Joao Malhadeiro, Stéphane Soulard Purpose: The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2018 recommendations support maintenance treatment with long-acting bronchodilators in most symptomatic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While restricting the overuse of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) may influence healthcare utilization required to treat…
Access to health care for patients with thalassaemia in Greece: a cross-sectional study
Kyriakos Souliotis, Christina Golna, Sofia Nikolaidi, Georgia Vatheia, Stanimir Hasurdjiev Background: The prevalence and clinical burden of beta-thalassaemia in Greece is high. Little information is available on the unmet needs of patients with beta-thalassaemia and barriers to access to care. Aims: This study investigated barriers that patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia in Greece face when accessing care and the associations between…
Act early, save lives: managing COVID-19 in Greece
Ilias Gountas, Georgios Hillas, Kyriakos Souliotis Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of social distancing interventions in Greece and to examine what would have happened if those interventions had not been implemented. Study design: A dynamic, discrete time, stochastic individual-based model was developed to simulate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission. Methods: The model was fitted…
Real world, big data cost of pharmaceutical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in Greece
Kyriakos Souliotis, Christina Golna, Chara Kani, Sofia Nikolaidi, Dimitrios Boumpas Introduction: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a highly prevalent autoimmune disease associated with joint inflammation and destruction. Treatment for RA, especially with biologic agents (biologics), improves patient functionality and quality of life and averts costly complications or disease progression. Cost of RA pharmaceutical treatment has rarely been reported on the basis…
Clinical audit as a tool to optimize contracted private healthcare provision: Testing the waters in resource-deprived Greece
Kyriakos Souliotis, Christina Golna, Vasiliki Mantzana, Sotirios Papaspyropoulos, Anastasios Koutsovasilis, Alexios Sotiropoulos Background and aims: Clinical audit is applied to optimize clinical practice and quality of healthcare services while controlling for money spent, critically in resource-deprived settings. This case study reports on the outcomes of a retrospective clinical audit on private hospitalizations, for which reimbursement had been pending by the…
Exploring knowledge and perceptions on generic drugs of final year pharmacy school students in Greece
Kyriakos Souliotis, Christina Golna, Chara Kani, Sofia Markantonis Objectives: The economic crisis in Greece has triggered an extensive public debate about the use of generic drugs (generics). Despite their cost-saving potential, generic market penetration remains very low. This raises questions on awareness of, perception on and preference for generics by health-care professionals and patients. This is a descriptive study on…
Citizen Preferences for Primary Health Care reform in Greece
Kyriakos Souliotis, Z Tsimtsiou, C Golna, S Nikolaidi, C Lionis Background: The Greek National Health System is currently pursuing the strengthening of Primary Health Care (PHC). Citizen preferences for healthcare service utilization, their views on structural reform of the current system, and the profiling of those in favor of PHC are essential in planning a reform that respects citizens’ needs.…
End-of-Life Health-Care Cost of Patients With Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Study
Kyriakos Souliotis, Chara Kani, Androniki Marioli, Aggeliki Kamboukou, Aikaterini Prinou, Konstantinos Syrigos, Sophia Markantonis Introduction: Lung cancer exerts a significant societal and health-care-related economic burden and chemotherapy drugs constitute a major factor of total direct cost. The aim of the present study was to assess the direct health-care cost of lung cancer in Greece by conducting a retrospective analysis on…