Greek financial crisis affects health

Rising rates of HIV, tuberculosis, depression and even infant deaths in Greece are being blamed on the nation's financial crisis.

Researchers say Greece's financial crisis is taking a toll on the health of its citizens. (AAP)

Researchers say they have found new evidence that Greece's financial crisis is taking a toll on the health of its citizens, including rising rates of HIV, tuberculosis, depression and even infant deaths.

Since the economic crisis hit several years ago, the government's health spending has been slashed and hundreds of thousands of people have been left without health insurance. As cuts have been made to AIDS prevention programs, rates of HIV and tuberculosis in drug users have spiked.

Previous studies have found suicides in Greece have increased by about 45 per cent between 2007 and 2011. The new research found the prevalence of major depression more than doubled from 2008 to 2011, citing economic hardship as a major factor.

Suicides and mental health problems tend to be underreported, so "this is probably just the tip of the iceberg", said Alexander Kentikelenis of Cambridge University, the study's lead author.

The study's findings were based mainly on population surveys and statistics from the government and other sources including the European Commission. Kentikelenis said it would take years to measure the long-term consequences of people being without regular access to health care, particularly those with chronic conditions like heart disease.

Kentikelenis and colleagues also observed a 21 per cent rise in stillbirths, according to figures from the Greek National School of Public Health.

"Some pregnant women no longer have access to health care, therefore the complications later on in their pregnancy can be more pronounced," he said.

Kentikelenis and colleagues also found infant deaths, which had previously been falling, jumped by more than 40 per cent between 2008 and 2010. He said that was likely linked to babies not getting enough to eat and fewer medical check-ups, as families cut off from state health care couldn't afford private treatment. The research was published online Friday in the journal, Lancet.