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Austerity Measures and Underfunding of the Spanish Health System during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Perception of Healthcare Staff in Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Otero-García

    (CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
    Nursing Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • José Tomás Mateos

    (Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, 25199 Lleida, Spain
    Healthcare Research Group (GRECS), Institute of Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRB Lleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain)

  • Alexo Esperato

    (Asian Development Bank, Manila 1554, Philippines)

  • Laia Llubes-Arrià

    (Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Lleida, 25199 Lleida, Spain
    Healthcare Research Group (GRECS), Institute of Biomedical Research in Lleida (IRB Lleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain)

  • Vanesa Regulez-Campo

    (Osakidetza, Nursing Teaching Unit, Cruces University Hospital, 48903 Baracaldo, Spain)

  • Carles Muntaner

    (Faculty of Nursing, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada)

  • Helena Legido-Quigley

    (Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
    Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, Singapore)

Abstract

Insufficient pandemic preparedness and underfunding of human and economic resources have conditioned the response to COVID-19 in Spain. This underfunding has continued since the austerity measures introduced during the 2008 financial crisis. This study aims to understand the perceptions of healthcare staff in Spain on the relationship between the funding of the health system and its capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, we carried out a thematic content analysis, based on 79 online semi-structured interviews with healthcare staff across the regions most affected by the COVID-19 first wave. Participants reported a lack of material resources, which had compromised the capacity of the health system before the pandemic. The lack of human resources was to be addressed by staff reorganisation, such as reinforcing hospital units to the detriment of primary health care. Staff shortages continued straining the COVID-19 response, even after material scarcities were later partially alleviated. Personnel shortages need to be adequately addressed in order to adequately respond to future health crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Otero-García & José Tomás Mateos & Alexo Esperato & Laia Llubes-Arrià & Vanesa Regulez-Campo & Carles Muntaner & Helena Legido-Quigley, 2023. "Austerity Measures and Underfunding of the Spanish Health System during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Perception of Healthcare Staff in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-10, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2594-:d:1053259
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tit Albreht, 2023. "Challenges to Global Health Emerging from the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-16, May.

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