The health of the Portuguese over the last four decades

Abstract

EnglishThe objective of this paper is to present the health gains in Portugal from the 1970s onward, and how this evolution responds to Portugal’s 40 years of democracy, the country’s inclusion in the EEC/EU, the public investment made in health, and the generalized improvements experienced in the daily lives of the population (housing, education, and access to public services). Currently, Portugal is at the end of an epidemiological transition. Health indicators linked to communicable disease, infant mortality, maternal mortality, perinatal mortality and mortality in children from 1 to 4 years of age have decreased sharply and are in line with those seen in other countries of the European Union, and in some cases Portugal shows more favorable values. The impact of these gains has translated into an increase in life expectancy at birth of 14.0 years for men and 14.4 years for women for the 45 years of observations made (1974-2014). Despite the gains in Portugal verified by this indicator, the difference in life expectancy with regard to the EU continues to be quite evident given the increase in mortality associated with certain diseases The gains in health are the result of the implementation of public policies that have allowed for increased public access to a wide range of goods and services (e.g. housing sanitation, transport, education), with particular note going to the organized health care initiatives regarding the Portuguese National Health Service. francaisCette etude a pour objectif de presenter les progres du systeme de sante portugais depuis les annees 1970, et de demontrer que cette evolution accompagne les 40 ans de democratie, l’integration du pays dans l’Union europeenne, l’investissement public en matiere de sante, et l’amelioration generale des conditions de vie de la population (logement, education, acces aux services publics). Le Portugal touche au terme d’une transition epidemiologique. Divers indicateurs de sante ayant trait aux maladies contagieuses, a la mortalite infantile, a la mortalite maternelle, a la mortalite perinatale et a la mortalite d’enfants entre 1 et 4 ans ont fortement regresse au point de rejoindre les resultats obtenus dans d’autres pays de l’Union europeenne, et de parfois les depasser dans certains cas specifiques. L’impact de ces benefices sur la sante se traduit dans la progression de l’esperance de vie, les hommes ayant gagne 14 ans et les femmes 14,4 ans, au cours de la periode analysee (40 ans - 1974-2014). Malgre les progres constates a travers cet indicateur, l’ecart entre le Portugal et les autres pays de l’UE reste evident et demontre l’urgence de faire diminuer la mortalite associee a certaines maladies. Les benefices sur la sante resultent de la mise en place de politiques publiques qui ont assure un meilleur acces a un ensemble de biens et de services (par exemple la salubrite des habitations, les transports publics, l’education), soulignant notamment l’importance de l’organisation des services de sante, bases sur le Service national de sante Portugais.