Authors
Andreas P Kyriacou, Oriol Roca-Sagalés
Published in
Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Volume 172. Pages 105693. Jul 09, 2026. Epub Jul 09, 2026.
Abstract
Corruption in the public healthcare sector can undermine the efficient allocation of resources and negatively affect health outcomes. In the European Union (EU), it may take several forms including bribes to medical professionals in return for medical attention, public procurement corruption, or improper relationships between healthcare staff and suppliers of drugs or equipment. However, empirical evidence on its impact remains limited.
This study aims to assess the relationship between corruption in public healthcare and the quality of public healthcare services across EU regions.
Using data from 165 regions in 19 EU countries over the period 2010 to 2021, we conduct a quantitative panel analysis based on perceptions-based measures of corruption in public healthcare and the quality of public health services. To address endogeneity concerns, we apply fixed effects, instrumental variable techniques, and control for a broad range of potential confounders.
The results suggest that corruption in public healthcare may undermine the quality of public healthcare services.
These findings suggest that targeted anti-corruption efforts should be a priority for policymakers seeking to improve healthcare quality in regions where corruption is more prevalent.
PMID:
42456225
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 16 Jul 2026.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 3
- Comments 0