7.6 Mechanisms of early detection and signposting of young people facing health risks
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Policy framework
The screening programmes exist, but they are aimed for a certain age group or male or female patients. In 2017 five screening programmes existed, only one of them concerned women aged 25-60 program for prevention of malignant tumors of the cervix (cytological test is carried out once every 3 years, after receiving the results, a biopsy can be performed to allow the diagnosis of the disease confirmed or denied).
Stakeholders
The Center for Health Education and Prevention, is an institution subordinate to the Ministry of Health, is involved in the promotion of healthy lifestyle, the prevention of non-communicable diseases, injuries and accidents, health promotion, public health impact assessment, health education for children and young people, healthy nutrition, food safety, physical activity in other areas of society. Provides compulsory first aid, compulsory hygiene, alcohol and drug injury training and other health education and training services; carry out an environmental impact assessment of the environment; organizes and carries out professional development courses for public health care professionals and other specialists performing or seeking licensed public health care; carries out the assessment of the harmlessness and chemical composition of the imported or manufactured food products in Lithuania in accordance with the documents submitted by the manufacturer and the seller.
The main institution responsible for screening programmes is the National Health Insurance Fund.
The main institution responsible for screening programmes is the National Health Insurance Fund. Municipal Public Health Bureaus along with other medical specialists, implement national screening programmes financed by the National Health Insurance Fund. Health care facilities are responsible for informing their own patients including young patients. Thus there is no centralized coordination for screening programmes – every health care facility informs patients in different ways and not all of these ways might be effective for young persons.
In 2017 five screening programmes existed, only one of them concerned women aged 25-60 program for prevention of malignant tumors of the cervix (cytological test is carried out once every 3 years, after receiving the results, a biopsy can be performed to allow the diagnosis of the disease confirmed or denied). Other screening programmes are aimed for a certain age group or male or female patients older than 50. However, despite the fact, that these programs are intended primarily for people of a specified age, on the decision of the treating physician, if there are medical reasons, all necessary tests are performed and treatment is provided free of charge also to younger patients.
The main funding for screening programmes comes from Lithuanian Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (PSDF). This funding budget is approved annually by the law (the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania). The Law of Budget Indicators of the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund for 2017 estimates 88618 euros for screening programmes. The bulk of this budget revenue is comprised of compulsory health insurance (PSD) payments by insured persons (more than 60%); the second place in the income (more than 30%) is taken by the state budget contributions and appropriations, the majority of which is the contributions paid for insured persons, which are insured by state (children, students, registered unemployed persons etc.). The health insurance system is based on the principles of solidarity and universality, and therefore compulsory health insurance contributions are a constitutional obligation for all citizens. The amount of the PSD contributions and the payment procedure are established by the Law on Health Insurance of the Republic of Lithuania. Compulsory health insurance means persons who pay compulsory health insurance contributions or are insured by public funds. Persons who did not pay and did not receive state-sponsored insurance may apply to health care institutions and use their services, however, in this case they are required to pay for these services.