Principal Investigator: Elias Mossialos
Researchers: Zlatko Nikoloski
Start Date: 01 May 2015
End Date: 30 April 2017
Region: Gulf
Keywords: epidemiological transition, cardiovascular risk factors, healthcare services, global health, health policy

As countries develop economically, an “epidemiological transition” occurs whereby a set of chronic diseases increasingly becomes a country’s health challenge. In that context, proper and timely access to healthcare services becomes an imperative. Against this background, this project addresses two particular issues: (i) first, the project aims to examine the causes of some of the most prevalent chronic diseases, whilst paying particular attention to the diabetes/obesity/ hypertension nexus; (ii) second, the project will study the main determinants of the access to, utilization of and satisfaction with the healthcare system in Kuwait. Meeting these two objectives is necessary and timely. The rapid urbanization and modernization that Kuwait witnessed over the last few decades, coupled with increased inactivity, heightened tobacco use and unhealthy diet have all resulted in increased obesity and hypertension, which in turn are the two leading causes of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Hence, shedding more light on the link between the risk factors and some of the chronic diseases enumerated above is crucial. Furthermore, further unearthing the link between access, utilization and satisfaction with healthcare services and their determinants is important, as it could help distil the results into policy actions aimed at improving the quality of the Kuwaiti healthcare system.