BACKGROUND The objective of this study is to assess the cost of using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion to treat children with type-1diabetes in Bulgaria, considering changes in body mass index (BMI) and the glycated hemoglobin. The study was performed from the perspective of the Bulgarian National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and patients. METHODS A total of 34 pediatric type-1-diabet...

Objectives The objective of this study was to identify the top 50 countries in the world in clinical neurology research and to use their data to assess the impact of a number of country-specific characteristics on scientific productivity in clinical neurology. Methods The SCImago Journal & Country Rank (SCR) web site was used to identify the top 50 countries in the world based on their total ...

Understanding determinants of urban health is of growing importance. Factors at multiple scales intertwine to influence health in cities but, with the growing autonomy of some cities from their countries, city population health may be becoming more a matter for city-level rather than national-level policy and action. We assess the importance of city, country, and macroregional (Western and East...

BACKGROUND Considerable socioeconomic and health inequalities have been reported in China. However, because of a lack of appropriate data, limited research has been conducted on variations in disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) among older adults. This study aimed to use the most up-to-date disability survey data to explore geographical variations in DFLE at age 60 in China and to identify t...

The international maritime disputes in the South China Sea have now escalated following China’s construction of man-made islands and a new United States Naval presence that includes a guided missile destroyer. However, territorial claims between the nations surrounding these waters are not new. As both a major global shipping lane (it is considered one of the most trafficked sea lanes in the wo...

INTRODUCTION There are major differences in cancer drug prices around the world. However, the patterns of affordability of these drugs are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to compare patterns of affordability of cancer drugs in Australia, China, India, Israel, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. RESULTS Cancer drug prices are highest in the United States...

BACKGROUND Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that is considered to be declining, though it still remains prevalent in many parts of the world. A study was made to explore the health and socioeconomic factors that most influenced the trend of the disease in a typical Mediterranean country. MATERIALS AND METHODS An ecological study was conducted, investigating possible social, economic an...

Many economic observers applaud the current rate of inflation in the United States, claiming that the rate is so low that inflation has ceased to matter much in the decisions of individuals and businesses. Some, such as Martin Feldstein (1997), want to see inflation fall still further--to zero--arguing that such a reduction would yield substantial gains by allowing resources to be allocated mor...

Health care expenditure and utilization trends in the 24 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries are provided and analyzed in terms of trends in price, population, and volume-intensity. The United States spends more on health than other countries, both in absolute dollar terms and relative to gross domestic product. Moreover, the gap appears to have grown in recent years...