|
The quality of health care and health care facilities
in Andalucía (and throughout Spain) is generally very
good and at their best are the equal of any country in Europe.
There are excellent doctors, and Spanish
medical staff are highly trained. Major hospitals are equipped
with the latest high-tech equipment. Health care costs per head
in Spain are among the lowest in the EU (only Portugal and Greece
are lower) and the country spends a relatively small percentage
of its GDP on health, around 7%. However, nursing care and post
hospital assistance are sadly lacking compared to what northern
Europeans and North Americans take for granted and spending on
preventive medicine is low. Public and private medicine operate
alongside each other and complement each other, although public
health facilities are limited in some areas.
There is a public health system throughout the
region and country which provides free or low cost health care
for those contributing to Spanish Social
Security, plus their families and retirees (including those
from other EU countries). If you don't qualify for health care
under the public health system, it's essential to take out private
health insurance. Aside from being necessary from a health point
of view, you won't acquire a residence card without it.
The Spanish are among the world's healthiest people
and have an average life expectancy of 80 for women and 74 for
men, the highest in the EU. The incidence of heart disease is
among the lowest in the world, a fact officially partly contributed
to their diet which includes lots of garlic, olive oil and red
wine. They do, however, have a high incidence of liver and other
problems associated with excess alcohol and smoking related ailments
and deaths are a serious problem.
Visitors and Tourists
Visitors to Andalucía should have holiday
health insurance if they aren't covered by a reciprocal arrangement from
their own country's system.
Among visitors and foreign residents to Andalucia
the most common health problems include sunburn and sunstroke,
stomach problems, due to the change in diet and water and various
problems caused by excessive alcohol. The pollen count is also
particularly high in this part of Spain around the month May
which affects asthma and hay fever sufferers.
On the plus side, the climate in Andalucía
is therapeutic, particularly for sufferers of rheumatism and
arthritis and those who are prone to bronchitis, colds and pneumonia.
The slower pace of life, plus the siesta is also beneficial for
those prone to stress. The climate and lifestyle has a noticeable
effect on mental health with fewer cases of depression reported
here (including those suffering from S.A.D.)
Spa Resorts
There are numerous private Spa resort, health clinics
and specialist facilities at hotels in Andalucia. Though in the
past, the impression was that this type of tourism was specifically
for the elderly, nowadays there is an ever growing number of
younger people who visit.
More >
Retiring
Health and health insurance is an important issue for anyone
retiring to Andalucia. Many people are ill-prepared for old age and the
possibility
of health problems. There's a dearth of welfare and home-nursing services
for the elderly in Spain, either state or private, and many foreigners
who are no longer able to care for themselves are forced to return to their
home countries. There are few state residential nursing homes in Spain
and, aside from the CUDECA hospice currently being built near Benalmadena
on the Costa del Sol, few facilities for the terminally ill.
The province's provision for handicapped travellers
is also poor and wheelchair access to buildings and public transport
is well below the average for Western Europe.
However, overall the health care in Andalucía
is extremely good and most of the larger hospitals also provide
translators for foreigners to help explain their ailment(s) to
the medical professional.
top of page
|
